NEED FOR A ROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23057, 7 December 1936, Page 6

NEED FOR A ROAD

GLENORCHY'S ISOLATION

MOTORISTS' ASSISTANCE SOUGHT

The claims of the residents of Glenorchy for a road from Queenstown were* placed before the delegates to the quarterly meeting of the South Island Motor Union when they visited the head of Lake Wakatipu on Saturday. It was stated that Glenorchy, which is about 20 miles from Queenstown, had no means of communication with the outside world except- by steamer and a bridle track, and its isolation not only prevented the development of the district but also created serious difficulties for the settleres. The president of the union (Mr F. J. Williams) presided at the meeting at which the representations were heard, and the deputation, which asked the union for its support in obtaining Government action, consisted of Messrs G. Reid, E. L. Harris, J. Forbes, F. Lees, and J. Thornton. The chairman of the Lake County Council (Mr L. Lee) introduced the deputation, slating that the district had a population of 300 but, apart from two visits a week by the lake steamer, it was cut off from the outside world. The County Council believed that a road?from Queenstown would be a national asset because of the tourist traffic that would be attracted. Mr Reid said that a road from Queenstown to Glenorchy had been started 30 years ago. Seven miles had been - completed from Queenstown, and there was a mile of formed road at the Glenorchy end. The growth of motor and tourist traffic made it essential that the road should be completed. There was room for the development of the large scheelite deposits in the district. The output so far was valued at £200,000. The residents were dependent upon the oldest vessel afloat in New Zealand. "She was launched in 1872," said Mr Reid. "She now has her third boiler, and sometimes she gets through and sometimes she does not." Only as recently as Monday last the vessel, owing to a strong wind, had been unable to berth in spite of three attempts, he continued. No question of competition between road and steamer need arise if the road were made, because though passenger traffic might be lost, there would be increased goods traffic owing to the development of the district. He suggested an ultimate extension of the road, so that it would be linked up with the Hollyford road. Mr Thornton said that some people who had resided in the district for 40 or 50 years had been dependent all that time upon the steamer service and a bridle track to Queenstown. In a case of sickness it was necessary to telephone to Queenstown for a doctor, and five or six hours would elapse before he could arrive. The cost of obtaining a doctor at night was £l2, which few of the residents cculd afford. The late Minister of Public Works (Mr J. Bitchener) had given a promise that when the Kingston-Queenstown road was completed he would immediately commence the construction of a road to Glenorchy. Fourteen miles of the route had actually been surveyed, but the work had not been undertaken. The present Minister (Mr R. Semple) had promised to visit the district to investigate the proposal. I* had been stated, said Mr Thornton, that the policy of the Government was to provide roads for the backblocks settlers. Could there be any community further in the back-blocks or more isolated than that of Glenorchy? Mr Thornton added that, while there were more than 20 licensed motor vehicles in Glenorchy, the district had only 13 miles of road on which they could run. Yet the owners of the vehicles had to pay the same taxes upon them as did the other people of the Dominion. Mr Forbes stressed the importance for the sake of the children of bringing Glenorchy more closely into touch with the rest of the world. He thought that they should have the same facilities for their education as did' other children. A few years ago a man had lost his life in the district owing to the impossibility of obtaining surgical attention, and for the same reason another man had lost a leg. The opinion was expressed by Mr F. W. Freeman (Canterbury) that the road could be constructed for about £60,000.

Asked for particulars of the capacity of the district for carrying stock, Mr Thornton said that there would be about 40,000 sheep on the runs, and the output of cattle would be about 300 head a year. The latter, however, could be considerably increased if there were means of getting the cattle to the markets. Eight or 12 days were required to drive them to Southland. In reply, Mr Williams said that he believed the time had arrived when Glenorchy residents should have an outlet by road. Motor traffic was reaching record figures, and, when the amount of taxation was considered, it would be realised that the motorists had a great interest in the disposition of the Highways Fund. He believed that a road to Glenorchy would be of great importance from a tourist point of view in the not far distant future. While he could not give a definite answer to the deputation, he could promise that the request would be discussed by the executive of the union at its first meeting.