MOANA SETTLERS.

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1929, Page 7

MOANA SETTLERS.

Want Better Access. DEPUTATION TO COUNTY COUNCIL. BEQUEST FOR BRIDGE OVER ARNOLD. Messrs J. O’Brien, AI.P-, and Noel Peat (Aloana), representing the settlers of Moana, waited upon the County Council yesterday, urging that a bridge be constructed across the Arnold River to provide the settlers in that locality with means of r ecess to the Lake and railway. Cr H. G. Carter introduced the deputation, and briefly explained the matter. Mr Peat said he was placed in the position of owning 500 sheep and cattle on land that had no access to the- rail or Lake. For 25 years he had had to swim his cattle to reach the railway line, and his sheep had to be punted across the lake and river. The settlers had. already approached Mr O’Brien lud the Minister about the matter. They had been given to understand u hat through the services of Mt Seddon. a sum of £lOO was placed on the Estimates for that purpose. Half the adjoining settlers’ land, including Goss Bros.’ sections, was lying idle because they were without proper access. The matter was also one for the Tourist Department to consider. At present there was no acce.s except by boat, and every day they were asked by tourists to take them across. The settlers had also approached Sir Joseph Ward in regard to the matter. Mr O’Brien said that Mr Peat had placed the facts before them clearly, and.he could not say much more; only so far as the Tourist Department was concerned. If a bridge was put across he Arnold there, it would give them iccess to Irishmen’s Track, and to a wonderful bench' and beautiful country. The Tourist Department seemed to be able to get these things done, and it was a good opportunity for getting grants for bridges that were required in the district. It was possible thlt there would be a road round the Lake

’ n the future. If mother districts were getting assistance from the Depart nent in such cases, they should not lag behind. He did not like money being ! <pcnt for the tourists all the time; they wanted it for settlement. They should however, get the backing of the Tourist Department. There were any amount >f tourists who had cars and money to spare to tour one end of New Zealand to the other, but they wanted to •ater for the man who had not got enough money to do that. They want'd the co-operation and backing of the ‘ Council for the project, and hoped that hey would get the work completed by -he end of the year. They also wanted o help other purts of the West Coast wh ch had been neglected from time :o time. The Engineer (Mr J. Higgins) said t was a question whether a road or a bridge would prove the better proposition. A road would open up ail the country on that side of the Lake. Cr J. Byall; What is the estimated ?ost? Air O’Brien: .About £1250, according o the Department’s estimate. The Engineer said he did not think t little bridge would be suitable to the ettlers. They wanted one that would carry bullocks. In reply to the Engineer, Air Peat said that the river was 325 feet wide, md at tiie highest flood he had seen it 21ft Gins deep in the narrow part. Mr Mathewson of the Public Workj department, had estimated the cost at £1250. Air O’Brien remarked that it seemed & wonderful waste of money to put a road round a lot of heavy country just for tou.ists, but that was being lone at Lake Kanieri at the present cimo.

Air Peat said it had been intended o send a petition to the Council in regard to the matter, but this had not ?ecn done owing to the illness of Air Moore. He understood that a petition signed by a hundred people, including several university professors, had been 'repared in Christchurch, and that probably the Council would receive it at 'he next meeting. Referring to the difficulties in transporting stock, Air Peat said they woul 1 a.’po have to take nto consideration, the provision of a railway crossing.

The Engineer renmiked that there (yore so many crossings that he did lot think the Department would be Keen on making another one. They •night be allowed to put a track there, but he didn’t think the Department would agree to a road for the use of he general, public. Cr H. G. Carter said the first thing was to get an idea of the actual cost. It was no use going to the Department at Wellington until they obtained that. The Engineer was already overworked with Alain Highways work, and he didn’t like the idea of giving him any more to do. He did not altogether agree with the building of the bridge, but they had it on authority that iwould benefit the settlers. He thought in the meantime they should look into the question of a road from Aratika to the crocsing, and also the cost of he bridge. He moved that the Engineer be instructed to get in touch with the Department, and go into the matter.

Mr O’Brien suggested that the Public Works Department would probably do the work of preparing plans and surceys. Air Carter agreed to emend his motion to the effect that the Public Works Department be approached to survey the bridge, and failing that, the Engineer be instructed to go into the matter. Messrs O’Brien and Peat thanked the Council for hearing their representations, and then withdrew.