EGMONT PARK

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1925, Page 6

EGMONT PARK

IMPROVEMENTS FORE SHADOWED

A LOAN REQUIRED,

A deputation representing the Egmont National Park Board and the South Taranaki Automobile Association waited on the Prime Minister (tho Hon. J. G. Coates) this morning with the request that authority should be granted for tho board to raise a loan from the Government to carry out certain improvements to tho park," and also that a survey should be made with a view to laying down a new road over Mount Egmont. Introducing the deputation, Mr. R. Masters, M.P.-, referred to tho desire of members of the board to carry out certain improvements to the roads in the Egmont National Park. For this purpose it was hoped to gain authority for borrowing a certain amount of money. The chairman of the board (Mr. T. C. List) said that the board had altogether expended £21,600, and of this amount Government subsidies had amounted to £5700. The board now had a scheme under way to spend £28,000 over a period of four or five years, and the first work \vhich it was proposed to undertake was the re-making of the northern track. It was proposed to spend £7000 on this amount, and the board required authority to borrow that amount from the Government, Interest and sinking fund could be met out of present maintenance charges. The board also desired to urge -that the Government should consider the laying down of a motor road from Stratford House to Dawson's Falls, to link up later with the Northern Hojise, and in this connection they desired that the Government should make a survey of the area. • The Rev. Mr. Kyle urged the importance of layinjj do\Vn the road, which would make one of the finest motor drives in the world; He suggested that prison labour might be used for the purpose.

In . his reply, Mr. Coates eaid that he had no • doubt the survey could be made, and he would have the matter placed in the schedule. As regarded the other matter—the raising of the loan — he supposed there was a way out of it, although he did not quite see it at present. The matter would receive consideration.