MILFORD SOUND ACCESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21764, 2 April 1934, Page 11

MILFORD SOUND ACCESS

ROAD ROUTE SURVEYS HOMER SADDLE TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION PRACTICABLE [BY TKLEORAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] INVERCARGILi;. Sunday A highway encircling the South Island with Milford Sound as a port of call for overseas vessels was envisaged bv the Hon. A. Hamilton, Minister in charge of the Tourist and Health Resorts. in a statement yesterday. "Recently two of the chief officers of the Public Works Department visited Milford for the purpose of conferring with the engineer who lias been working with the survey gang for some months on the proposed road and tunnel to Milford. "The survey party lias for some time now been working on the Milford side of the saddle," stated the Minister. "Although they are not yet ready to present a full and detailed report, the information obtained on this visit is sufficient to enable these chief officers to state that the result of the survey has been entirely satisfactory. They are now able to state that both the tunnel and road are practical propositions. The matter of costs has still to he worked out and considered. "The survey investigations have proved that the better route is not by way of the Gertrude Saddle, but by way of the Homer Saddle. By adopting the Homer route, the length of the tunnel can be considerably shortened. Also, the road down to Milford from the end of the tunnel is better by that route.

"The estimated length of the tunnel by way of the Gertrude Saddle was 90 chains: It is found that CO chains for the tunnel will be sufficient by the Homer route.

"If the road could he completed to Milford, and also up the west coast, it would, apart from many other benefits, serve two major purposes. Milford would undoubtedly become a port of call for overseas tourist vessels and a round-the-island tour would be provided for motorists."