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Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1923, Page 2

’fill-; control of the Knmiira-:llos- road i- evidently to pass to the County Council. While protesting at the liability thrown on the Council, the meeting on Tuesday stipulated terms on which it would undertake the duties. From reports made, it is evident a good deal of outlay must he face,l at nine. It will be most Unfair if the local ( ouneil has to attend to the works mainly from its own resource- In adjoining HisLii<t< the (5 - vcrniiieliL are subsidising the local bodies, as well as assisting with special grunts, while in another di-triet, the Government is maintaining County road- as well as the main load. It would appear as it a special "set” were made in regnid to the Westland Count v, and for that reason the (. ouneil could Dot accept responsibilities which it cannot, discharge without lindnlv pressing on the ratepayers, or neglect ills: the haekbh.ck road-, lies district has rights no 1 >- important of regard than those ol other distrb t-. and the request lor huuiioial supj.nrt over a peiiotl to pla-e the bridges ill a safe condition, is not at all unreasonable. seeing that during the time the Government retained control, the road and bridges were allowed to diili into l lie | re-cut dangerous state ol di-re-pair.

hi was pleasing to note that Mr Sudden raised bis voiie against the strictures passed hy Mi .Lilian Grande on the West Coast. Mr Grande's teinaiks were evidently wired away, and ii will he hard to overtake them and icnicdy the had ell'eet they will create. Mr Seddon's interposition, however, will

g.i seme distance toward- discounting the sweeping charges, and In- action ha- had i lie effect of causing Mr Grande to modify the efiect of his sweeping statements. As was pointed o::t before, it is not to lie expected that thi- i-olaud di-trim can spring nt once into a condition providing all the comforts and conveniences of a city. Hitherto the class ol traffic has not unlimited anything ol the sort. The times, we know, are changing, and there i- a movement afoot lo meet the altering conditions. The Coast has been noted always for its hospitality. and homeliness, and visitors loss exacting than Mr Grande, have allowed those features to make up lor shortcomings. It is realised, of course, that the Coast i- forging ahead and from now on will make more rapid progress and the enterprise of the penile may La trusted to meet the condition.- as circumstances warrant.

In regard to the matter just mentioned it will have been noticed that for the past couple of mouths the Chamber of Commerce lias had the matter ol accommodation before it. The Exhibition Council lots also, necessarily, taken up the subject. The Licensed Victuallerare themsclvc- moving in the matte*', and it is not unlikely that the Licensing Committee will he more exacting from this out. Apart altogether from the F.xhibitiin period there will ho an influx of visitors all the year round which will necessitate the provision ol more accommodation. There will he a different class of traffiic moving, also, including more oversea travellers. 1 lie tendency will he to require a latter class of accommodation, and it will he in the interests of those in the trade to fitter for it. It is a profitable class of business, and there will he room for more and better accommodation. The venture, of course, will call for a goad deal of expenditure. There is some siiggesitoii of Canterbury money being put into the ,divine. It will have attraction.- no doubt as a s|>cculnlion. for where the best accommodation is centred, that will be the headquarters of the touiist traffic for the Coast.