DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 72, 17 March 1914, Page 5

DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

AN ENEEGETIC MEMBER.

SOUTHERN CLUTHA,

AND CATLINS DISTRICTS.

For some time Mr .Malcolm has been anxious to get the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraser) to visit the back-block areas of Clutha, in order that he might gain a knowledge of their great extent and of their needs in the way of roading. Every year Mr Malcolm lias to make so many and such large requests for grants as must appear unreasonable to any one without a personal knowledge of the district. Consequently he urged the Minister to give hjm six days on his present visit to the south. Mr Fraser replied that he could not possibly give the time. Mr Malcolm then asked that an engineer might be sent, and on Tuesday afternoon last he got a telegram from the Minister asking him to meet Mr Furkert, inspecting engineer for the South Island, at the train next morning to arrange a date for the desired inspection. Mr Malcolm, recognising that the roads were good and dry just then, decided on asking Mr Furkert to go at once. On Mr Furkert's arrival at 10.30 Mr Malcolm hurriedly explained the position, and after a few moments' hesitation Mr Furkert agreed and both boarded the train. On the train Mr Malcolm submitted an itinerary which, after discussion, was agreed to, and at Clinton a very busy twenty minutes was spent in dispatching a large number of telegrams to the various districts advising them of the proposed visit. A motor was in waiting at Gore, and the party at once set off for Mataura Island, where an inspection was made of the new bridge, and then went on through Pine Bush, Waimahaka and Fortrose to Otara. Some settlers were met there re a special loan for the Otara-Tokomii road. The party then went along this road —a rough bit in which for a time the wrong road was taken to Tokonui. There Mr Coster was met, and a talk ensued on the construction of another section of the railway from Tokonui to Trig AA, some 5} miles. This is a matter which Mr Mafcolm hopes the Minister will pay a short visit to the district to consider. The, party then travelled from Tokonui to' Fortrose, where the site of a proposed bridge was examined and some idea obtained of the damage done by last year's flood. This took some time, and when it was over it was getting dark and a start was made for Wyndham, which was reached about 8.45 p.m. Next morning a start was made a little after 7 o'clock for Mokoreta, where a large number of settlers were met at the dairy factory. Up to this point the roads had been fairly good, but now, against the advice of some, the ear was taken over the Caddon Pass and over the bush road to Waikawa Valley; although dry the road was found to be in an awful eonj dition with fearful ruts running zig-zag | over the whole length of it. It looked impassable, but very careful driving at a snail's pace brought the party through without accident, and they then went through Waikawa, where lunch was taken. Then a start was made through the bush for Chaslands—a beautiful drive if only the road had been good. At Chaslands deputations were met, and then the party went on over roads still bad to Papatowai, where Mr McEnnis (district engineer, Dunedin) and Mr Patersou (engineer-in-charge of Catlins railway construction) were waiting their arrival. Mr Furkert decided to wait here in order to inspect sites for bridges to give the Chaslands, Tautuku and i Burnt Flat settlers access to the rail- | way. For fear of rain it was decided that Mr Malcolm should go on witli the car to Kaliuika, which was reached at 7,;i0 p.m. Next morning at 7.45 Mr Malcolm met the engineers at Caberfeidh, wlieve they took a trolley and ran down the railway line to see'about a muchneeded extension of the Upper Catlins Valley road, the car meanwhile going round by Houipapa to Tawanui, where it was picked up three hours afterwards. The question of tramways instead of roads was discussed, and for the outlying districts seemed favourably entertained by the engineers. They then went on through Houipapa, Catlins River and Ratanui to Owaka; then after lunch along Horan 's road to Katea, and then by Hunt's road and Ahuriri Flat to Wiltshire Bay. Here the only trouble on the tour arose. The passengers left the car to allow it to run over the drift sand on to the beach. The car managed this and pulled up in a depression. As the passengers spent some little time in admiring the view, the car wheels sunk in the soft sand, and when all were on board again the car would not move. A hasty exit was made and much pushing done behind, but still the ear would not move. The party had to wait till the tide had fallen considerably, and then, with the help of a long-handled shovel and two planks lent by Mr Poole, the ear easily treed itself anil went on to the Mshemou'a kancling, Nugget Bay, I where tho might was spent;, Arrangentonts were made for the work on the j tito&kwfcteif to be done out of the £6ot> votGd, and the party left again at 9 next morning via the Swamp 1 road fo) 1 Balclutha, which was reathed at i2,{ttti | Mr .Malcolm has hSver' s6eli l;!i« I'Oada in such good order, liut, ev&il SO progress ( often was only three ffliles an hour. He hopes lor hliich good to the district from the visit of Mr Furkert, who is a very energetic, experienced and capable officer and will be able to advise the Minis- | tor of the requirements of tho very large area of back-block country in Clutha electorate. Of course, no attempt was made to show the engineer every road; that would take four weeks, or perhaps four months, instead of four days.