FELDWICK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3316, 3 October 1917, Page 27

FELDWICK.

Sept-ember 26.—Ad this period of the year few localities in this Dominion can present a more pleasing picture to the eye of man than the Western district. The flats and surrounding foothills, as far as the eye can reach, are covered with a rich verdure of luxuriant grass, extending away back to the snow-covered Takitimo Mountains; whilst away beyond in the background the dazzling ■white of the Southern Alps, glinting in the sun’s rays, form a picture of loveliness and repose that marks this particular district as one of the beauty spots in. New Zealand. What is needed to make this fine locality prosperous is close settlement and the cultivation of the vast area of rich soil extending as far north as Lake Manapouri. The two principal minerals for the development of manufacture and agriculture—namely, coal and lime—are here in great abundance, as well as vast supplies of water power for generating electricity. The only thing required to open up the undeveloped source of dormant wealth is facility of transit b} r means of a railrvay ,to the nearest port. But to obtain this key to the unlocking of the Western district there seems but little prospect in the near future. Though we arc raising and spending millions lavishly, yet, even in normal times, it takes years of petitioning, deputationieing, lobbying, and political cajolery to obtain a vote of a few thousand pounds for a reproductive public work that would bo of immense advantage to the Dominion by opening up homes for the location of thousands of industrious settlors. True, a staid has been made to bring a railway into the district; but, unfortunately, the start has been made from

the wrong end altogether. It appears to me that a sane Government would naturally tap the Western district by way of Scott s Gap. How Tuatapere came to be selected is quite beyond my understanding, though I have pondered deeply over it. Even with reasonable railway’connection, the progress of this great Western district, needs a fairly convenient and safe shipping port. Bluff is the nearest; but when boisterous weather prevails in the strait it is dangerous for large vessels to attempt to enter ; and the harbour channel will always be a source ot danger to shipping; besides, there is little oi no room for harbour extension. The Hew River estuary, however, lends itself naturally to extensive harbour construction, even more so than did the Clyde at Glasgow 100 years ago. If the business men of Invercargill were once fully alive to the importance and splendid possibility of converting the New River into a safe and commodious harbour for large ocean shipping, the consumation of such a work would advance Southland in a way that would astonish the natives* There is absolutely no local news. I could send you a paragraph on the “Weather,” but paper is so scarce.