WESTLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3572, 28 June 1872, Page 3

WESTLAND.

The following memorial, addressed to the Hon W. Reeves, Resident Minister, by the merchants, bankers, traders, and others in the Hokitika district, has been sent to us for publication by the hon. sec. of the promoting committee, Mr G. H. Hawkins

The memorial of the undersigned merchants, bankers, traders, and others in the Hokitika district of the County of Westland respectfully showeth— That gold discoveries of great importance to the West Coast and to the colony at largo have recently been made in the Inangahua district (contiguous to Westland), in the province of Nelson.

_ That to realise the full advantages of these discoveries, roads connecting that district wRh other centres of population arc of primary necessity. That a road connecting Reefton with Hokitika —the chief centre of population on this coast —constructed: «o as to embrace back an unopened country in its course, would be specially advantageous, and conduce largely to the settlement and prosperity of the country. That your memorialists, many of whom hold large interests, both at Reefton and Hokitika, earnestly desire that such a road should be made.

That from inquiries made at the County Survey Office, your memorialists have ascertained that the making Of the road referred to would not be attended by any serious engineering difficulties. That the line of road they suggest would branch off from the Christchurch road at the thirty-second mile-post, and proceed via Bell Hill to the Ahauva, there joining the road now being made to Reefton. That the road proposed would confer, in addition to the usual benefits arising from facilities of inter-communication, great and exceptional advantages, inasmuch as it would open to exploration and settlement a large tract of back country known to contain extensive blocks or areas of fine agricultural land, and to be more or less auriferous; and it would supply the means of communication to no less than fifteen (13) mining townships, which are contiguous to the proposed line of road, but aft present almost shut out from access. That the said road would open up direct communication between the Inangahua and Canterbury, and would thus, while affording a valuable additional outlet for the produce of that province, materially cheapen the cost of living at the reefs, and thus conduce to their development.

That from the known existence of reefs at the Taipo, and in the neighbourhood of Ross, and from other unmistakable indications, it is regarded as a certainty by all persons competent to judge, that the reefs recently brought to light at the Inangahua are but a link in a chain of reefs extending all along the coast, and that the development of the boundless wealth lying at our feet is only prevented by the want of roads in the interior of the country —a want which would, to a material extent, be removed by the construction of the road proposed by your memorialists. Your memorialists would further urge that, inasmuch as no portion of the Public Works Loan has bee» allotted to public works in Westland, except the county’s share of the Middle Island Railway Fund, they have strong claims upon the Government and the colony for the expenditure out of the Loan Fund which /they seek, especially when it is considered how speedily fruitful of beneficial results to the country at large, as well as to the districts more immediately concerned, such expenditure would inevitably prove. Your memorialists are aware that the revenue of the county of Westland does not admit of the county paying, in addition to present burdens, the interest and sinking fund on the amount required to be expended in the formation of the proposed road, but they would respectfully direct your attention to the county’s ability to pay for the same in land, only a small fraction of the Crown lands in the county having, up to the present time, been alienated.

Your memorialists, therefore, pray that you will take the foregoing into your consideration, and adopt such measures as may be necessary to ensure the early construction of the aforesaid road.