HAAST PASS ROAD COST IS £1,000,000

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1950, Page 4

HAAST PASS ROAD COST IS £1,000,000

It will cost about £1,000,000 to complete the Haast Pass road and the project will occupy 300 men for four and a half to five years. This estimate was provided the Westland Progress League by the Ministry of Works prior to the departure of the deputation which last month waited on the Prime Minister, Mr S. G. Holland, and the Minister of Works, Mr W. S. Goosman.

About 12 bulldozers will be required for the work, but ndt more than one-quarter of the route is suitable for bulldozer construction, and other types of plant including power shovels, rock-drilling equipment and lorries, as well as a host of other items, will be needed, it was stated. If it wafe thought that 300 men was an excessive number, it was pointed out that, assuming the estimate of £1,000,000 was correct, it would take 300 men four and a half to five years to do the work, 200 men six to six and a half years and 100 men from 10 to 11 years. Reports on the deputation to Wellington were given by Messrs M. Wallace and J. Saunders (secretary). Both said they had come away feeling that the visit was worthwhile, and, although they had been told that nothing could be done this year, they had received the impression that a start might be made next year. The meeting decided that letters of thanks and appreciation be forwarded to the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Works, for having met the representatives of a combined West Coast-Otago-Southland deputation and for the courtesy shown and favourable consideration given to the delegates and that Mr J. B. Kent, M.P., be written to with the thanks of the members of the deputation for the very great assistance he gave to them prior to meeting the Prime Minister- and Minister of Works' and for his able introduction of the deputation and his support of the representatives. Tributes were also paid to the case presented by Mr Wallace and the contribution by Mr Kent, and thanks to all members Of the deputation and those who had organised the Wellington “invasion” were recorded in the minutes.

It was suggested that a further approach be made on the matter at the end of this financial year.