THE KINGSTON-QUEENSTOWN ROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22810, 20 February 1936, Page 12

THE KINGSTON-QUEENSTOWN ROAD

TO THE EDITOR

Sir—May I crave space to air a matter concerning the men employed by the Public Works Department on the Kings-ton-Queenstown road? It may be explained that the camp is divided into two sections —one at the Devil’s Staircase and the other at what is known as the Lumberbox, some nine miles distant on the Queenstown side. The Lumberbox is 18 miles from Kingston, Some of the men employed on the work here have motor cars. The road is apparently quite safe, but for some unknown reason the men with cars are not allowed the use of it. This means that they are denied the right of running their cars to Queenstown or surrounding districts. Do you not think. Sir, that this seems unfair, more particularly to those married with young families, many of whom could enjoy an occasional week-end in the beautiful surroundings at Queenstown, and, moreover, could procure fresh vegetables, fruit, etc., which would be otherwise unobtainable or obtainable only at a prohibitive price? A car from the Lumberbox camp is not allowed either way. This causes much inconvenience to anyone wishing to reach _ the railhead at Kingston. For instance, a party wishes to leave the Lumberbox camp for Invercargill early on* Friday morning next. Instead of being able to leave there by car on Friday morning, the ridiculous rule of not allowing the- cars to run on the road makes it necessary for the party ,to leave at 4.30 p.m. Thursday, per contractors’ trucks, to the Staircase camp and to walk the seven miles from there to Kingston and stay there the night. I think vou will agree that that entails much unnecessary inconvenience and expense. What the car-owners here, fail to understand, and what they consider unreasonable, is that innumerable hawkers, travellers, tourists, etc., are at times permitted the use of the road even in working hours, when it is admittedly dangerous on account of blasting operations and incidental obstructions. What those most concerned would very much like to know is who is responsible for the instructions to which I have referred.—l am. etc., Commonsense. Kingston, February 17.