The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1936 FORESIGHT WITH COURAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1936, Page 4

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated th e West Coast Times.) THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1936 FORESIGHT WITH COURAGE

There is the opening in Westdand for the Government to display foresight, and courageously take up the roading of the far south district. The benefits to accrue from the arterial roading of the south, and the linking with Otago and Southland, are so apparent within'the confines of this district, that it is not a matter for doling out votes to enable the road connection to proceed at a snail’s pace. It affords the opening for a real development scheme of roading to afford those facilities for trail,'.port which the Hon. R. Semple remarked in the House recently in a burst of eloquence was the hall mark the country’s civilising progress. The time for keeping such a large work “steadily in view,” or of conning over estimates to see where a thousand or two can be transferred from one work to another has passed. The importance of the occasion calls for a pronouncement of policy which will pledge the 'country to prosecute the work to speedy completion. Then will the harvest be reaped. * The Great South Road of' the West Coast has been' praised by many outsiders of late. North Island newspapers have devoted space to the project and commended it as quite worth while. It is true that much of the favourable comment has been prompted by the knowledge of the scenic glories along the route the , road will take. It is calculated that the tourist traffic alone will justify the undertaking. But we believe the development of the internal assets which will be rendered possible for private enterprise once there is an inlet and an outlet to the stored away treasures of the south, will follow as quickly as communication can he afforded. The establishment of a safe loading basin at Jackson Bay is a key feature of the great roading project if the southern territory is to be .brought into profit. Sucli a pert would be the best harbour on the Coast, and besides serving the. immediate neighbourhood, would be the port of export for products from thousands of acres of good

river flat country 'within an easy radius, as well as for unnumbered millions of feet of , timber for exand there still remains the mineral wealth of an interesting geological area to be tested, and pay toll for the improved access which would be afforded prospectors. The latent wealth of South Westland is not visualised generally, notwithstanding the marked progress of the area settled in the last few years. But. the increase in population is some tangible indication of what the country is capable of doing, and as transport facilities are pushed south that’ enhancement will go on. Within the last day or two, we understand, a further appeal has been made to the Government on the roading scheme, and it is being backed strongly by Mr O’Brien M.P. There is every reason to be hopeful as to the outcome, for the facts of the case make a strong appeal. We know the Gjovernment is pledged to useful development and the placing of population to advantage. Here in Westland’ so long neglected as far as its back-blocks are concerned, is the opportunity to implement an important part of the declared policy. It is for the Government to have the foresight to realise the position as it is, and the courage to push through a work to mark, the culmination of the first century of European occupation.