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MT. EGMONT.

ITS TOURIST RESORTS

PROPOSED MOUNTAIN ROAD

SURVEY TO BE MADE

(By Telegraph.—Special to Star). WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. Egriiont National Park development was the subject of a. large deputation to the Prime Minister (Mr J. G. Coats) to-day. The Hon. A. D. McLeod (Minister for Lands), the Hon. A' . Nosworthy (Minister in charge of i"urist-s’ Resorts), the Under-Secretary for Lands, and the General, Manager of the Tourist Department were also

present. Mr Masters stated that the deputation was representative of the Egmont National Park Board and the South Taranaki Automobile Association. The board was reconstructed last year under the statute, and it wished to lay before riio Government its no]icy, including not only tourist facilities,- but afforestation, nils would involve a heavy expenditure and therefore capital would be needed. Mr List, chairman of the board,, said that £21,600 had been spent on the development of the mountain as a tourist resort, and the Government subsidies amounted to £SOOO, whilst the Government . tourist resorts had absorbed large sums and. were not paying, the two hostels on Mt. Egmont were maintained with only the small amount of State ■ aid that he had mentioned. The board had planned a comprehensive scheme of improvements totalling £28,000, including £7OOO to reconstruct the northern road. £7500 for a new hostel at the southern side, £4OOO to improve and tar-seal the southern track. The board wished to make a start this year v securing authority to raise £7OOO for the northern road and to get the Government's good offices to secure an advance from one of the State lending departments. Though not coming withn the present scheme of improvements, there was an important suggestion for another highway, a high level one, linking up the various mountain houses.

The deputation wished the Government to allow its officers to report on the practicability and the cost of this scehme-—for a motor way from Stratford House ,to Dawson Falls, and linking up with the North Mountain House. If the report was favourable, the hoard would ask that the road be built iby prison labour. The Prime Minister: “In other words, it.means a grant for the job?” Mr. List : “You employ prison labour >n national work?” Mr Coates: “It is all money —8s per day.” Mr T. B. Crump pointed out that all the requests related to the developmentof a national asset, and the figures of the past showed that these works had been practically self-supporting through the revenues from the tolls, which amounted annually to £6OO net. The board was obliged to come to the Government for its finances, because it had no rating -power. The Prime Minister: “Practically speaking, we have to find the money.” Mr Crump: “Yes. on, your own asset.” f -‘

The Prime Minister: “What security can you give for a ]oan?” Mr Crump : “A charge on the revenues of the board. These are developing, and ,vi 1 be' bigger when the work is done.” ■- The Rev. Mr Kayll, on behalf of the South .Taranaki Automobile Association, described the proposed motor road, between 7 to 10 miles long, which, he said, would give such a magnificent 'anorama that it would be probably the finest motor drive in the world. It would he of such value that the Government would be justified in. adver-tising-it as one of New Zealand’s national attractions. At present, unless one could do some climbing, a visitor was unable to get a realisation of the full grapdeur of these glorious moun:.ain views. Thev asked that prison ■nr be used because they saw no other way of raising the money. It was work eminently suitable for prisoners., being a national work remote from he public, and not a commercial affair. If the road was buiTt, it would so enhance the levenue of the board as to make it self-supporting. It would be in the interests of the whole Dominion. Mr -Coates: “And in the interests of die prisoners.” Mr IV. G. Walkley reminded the Prime Minister that Milford Track was called the finest walk in the world, “and wliat we ask for will be the finest motor drive in the world.” The Prime Minister, turning to the general manager of the Tourist Department-, asked if he. Iliad anything to say. . . Mr. Wilson replied : “I came up hoping to get some of that £5700 back, Which we gave from the Tourist Department. Mr Lash: “That was mainly provided by the Public Works Department.’' The Prime Minister: “I take it that the first thing to be done is to -look over your proposals and see if we can borrow the money. I do no-t quite see the way clear through that, so that you i can start your programme. The other point is- .an engineering survey of the road between the mountain house and Dawson Falls. Mr. Lii:s|fc: “That, of course, is dependent cm the nature of the report. ■The other is the settled policy of the Board.” . •

Mr. Coates: “I cam. repeat those .particulars to. the gentle.rn.en, concerned who. are here, meaning Ministers for Finance, Lands and Tourists.” Mr Masters.: “Gan we say you would authorise your officers to make a survey and am estimate of the cost of the road?’’

Mr. Ooaite«: “Yes, but wo may not be aibile to tackle it on the spur of the moment. It will be listed on the r-oheiduie of •surveys to be carried out. 1 think it is thoroughly worth doing.” Before the deputation withdrew, Mr. Masters thanked the Prime Minister for his Qounteoms reception. It should be mentioned that owing to the large number o.f Prime Minister’s engagements, the speakers restricted their remarks and the chairman of the Board left with the Ministers concerned a comprehensive, .statement of the Board’s policy, as follows : Re-making and tanseailihg northern" track, £7000; new southern hostel, £7000.; improvements to southern road. £4000; purchase and extension of North House, £6500; afforestation, £2000; contingencies, £1000; total, £28,000. jlhe .deputation comprised Messrs Corrigan, Masters, Hawken and Smith, members of Parliament, Mr. List (chairman), Messrs Grump, .Bayley, of the Park Board, the 'Rev. Mr. Kayll, Messrs W. G. Walkley, South. Taranaki Automobile Association, H. J. Stott,, secretary of tire New Zealand Automobile Union, E. A. ■: Pacey, Mayor,, H. L. Ellliott (Town Olerk), R. F. Page and H. G. Dickie, of .Ha.WQ.ra.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAWST19250827.2.74

Bibliographic details

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 August 1925, Page 9

Word Count
1,047

MT. EGMONT. Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 August 1925, Page 9

MT. EGMONT. Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 August 1925, Page 9

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