HAAST PASS ROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27450, 25 July 1950, Page 4

HAAST PASS ROAD

Solution Of Timber Shortage CLAIM OF MASTER BUILDERS About 20 or 30 miles of road con- 1 structed over easily graded country would open up the vast timber resources of the South Westland area according to Mr. A. F. Ross, who was in the chair when the Otago Master Builders’ Association discussed the timber supply ‘problem at Cromwell during the week-end. Mr Ross told the Daily Times yesterday that he believed this short length of road added to the southern end of the present Haast Pass road would give access to the indigenous timber supplies which were so urgently needed in the province. There were no major breaks in the Haast road as it stood at present It was decided to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Bodkin, to press for the completion of this stretch of the road. The present timber stands were about 70 miles from the railhead at Ross, and about 500 miles from Dunedin, Mr Ross said. Some trickled through to the city. If the road were put through, the mileage from the stands to the city would be about halved, and the timber problem in Dunedin and Otago would be solved to a large extent. He had been told that in the South Westland area there were 150 years’ cutting. At present, the Westland area was putting out 50 million board feet of timber each year. If the figures were correct, it would mean that a phenomenal amount of timber wai in the South Westland area. A resolution approved by the meeting at Cromwell stated: “That the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Bodkin, be asked to press the Government to give urgent piority to the completion of at least sufficient of the southern end of the Haast Pass road to open up the vast supplies of indigenous timber for use by the building industry which is in desperate need of it.” Strong criticism of the action of the Automobile Association of Otago in suggesting that the northern outlet to Dunedin should be the priority road project of the province was expressed by Mr Ross. This was already a tarsealed road, he said. It was not perfect, but it would .serve. -The straightening of a few bends in this road was not comparable in importance to the opening up of a route which would be of immense benefit to the province. Present at the meeting were master builders from Dunedin, Lawrence Queenstown, Cromwell. Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, Wanaka, Hawea Flat and Balclutha. 1 -