GLENORCHY DISTRICT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22834, 19 March 1936, Page 10

GLENORCHY DISTRICT

LACK OF COMMUNICATION ROAD FROM QUEENSTOWN SOUGHT DEPUTATION TO MINISTER (From Our Special Reporter) QUEENSTOWN, March 18. /The construction of the road between Queenstown and Glenorchy was advocated by a deputation representing the Lake County Council, Glenorchy settlers and the Queenstown Borough Council, which waited on the Minister of Public Works, Mr R. Semple, to-night. The deputation was introduced by Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P., who stated that the conditions of access to Glenorchy were actually worse than they had been CO years ago. He referred to cases of accident and illness where persons had suffered great hardship and expense as a result of lack of communication between Queenstown and Glenorchy. The chairman of the County Council, Mr Leo Lee, said that 29 miles of road would be necessary, and there were six miles of road now partly constructed. It was a prosperous mining district with room for much greater development, and if access were provided that development would be enabled to go forward. The Glenorchy settlement comprised , 300 settlers. It was visited by three steamers a week in the summer and was supposed to have two in the winter, but while the annual overhaul of the lake boats was taking place there was only one visit a week. The district was a paradise for hikers, climbers and tourists, and while the road would undoubtedly be of local benefit it would also be a national asset. Mr Lee suggested that the men shortly to be shifted on the completion of the Kingston-Qucenstown road should be engaged in the construction of a road to Glenorchy. The Mayor of Queenstown, Mr W. H. Overton, stated that there would be support for a complete monopoly by the Railways Department of the goods service on the road if it were constructed. It was true, said the Minister in reply, that he was looking for work that would occupy the men who might shortly be idle and which would be of benefit to the nation. There were many considerations to be weighed, however, and he did not want to commence any undertakings for which he might be criticised later. He regretted that he could not visit the locality on his present visit, but he would do so immediately after the parliamentary session. "I am determined to give all back country settlers the access that is necessary," added Mr Semple, " and anything I can do with the money at my command to provide them with access I am going to do without apologising to anybody! I understand it would cost about £120,000 to put through a road that would serve the settlers' needs. I can make no definite promise except that I will look into the matter and find out the potentialities of land settlement in the Glenorchy district. If lam convinced that a road i 3 necessary, it will go through."