Some walkways may lack maintenance

Press, 23 April 1986, Page 2

Some walkways may lack maintenance

PA Wellington Some of New Zealand’s newly opened walkways may be left to become overgrown because the unemployed are no longer available to clear them under special Labour Department work schemes. The Lands and Survey Department’s director of national parks and reserves, Mr David McKerchar, said that the termination of the special i work schemes had not only halted further expan- , sion of walkways but the Walkways Commission was facing serious difficulties in even maintaining those in existence. “Unfortunately, it seems inevitable that some of the lesser-used walkways may have to be closed or left to revert.

“While the walkway concept has been a major success, which has contri-

buted significantly to regional and, to a certain extent, international tourism, I am sorry to say that prospects for further expansion of the system look bleak.

“We have had to look very carefully at some ares where use is not particularly great and we will have to make decisions on those that won’t be maintained.” Those could include some of the long-distance walks in the Malborough Sounds. Other walkways on public land could also be left to revert but the closing of walkways across private land would require conscious decisions. Many of these walkways were developed to benefit farmers as well as the recreational users. With a properly designated route people did not wander all over farms.