SOUTH ISLAND WANTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 18

SOUTH ISLAND WANTS.

ROADS AND SCENIC , MATTERS. DEPUTATION TO PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER. WELLINGTON, July 7. A deputation of Otago, Canterbury, and Westland members waited on the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. Mr K. S. Williams) this morning. Mr T. K. Sidey mentioned the mattens the deputation was desirous of bringing under the Minister’s notice, such as scenic and other roads, third party compulsory insurance in tho case of motorists, and red reflectors at the back of bicycles. The latter two subjects, however, seemed to be forgotten in the subsequent discussion. In connection with the Milford Sound tourist traffic Mr Sidey advocated the building of a hostel at Milford Sound in time for next season’s traffic; also that a new steamer should be put on Te Anau lake. The old steamer, he said, had broken down three times last season. Mr Horn spoke about the railway to Luggate. There were 30 miles still to go. The Rt. Hon. Mr Coates had promised them a road or a railway from Hawea to Wanaka, and after a survey the department recommended a railway to Luggate. This line was being surveyed and the survey was nearly finished. He asked that a sum should be put on the estimates for the railway this year. Mr F. Waite referred to the BalcluthaClydevale road, He explained the local conditions. The settlers on the west bank, he said, were getting gradually into a worse condition. The river was becoming more and more difficult to navigate On the east side they were getting a good road now which, however, was only half doing the job. They wanted a road on the east side which would save a lot of the cost of a bridge at the end of the east side road. The road on the west side would cost only £30,000. whereas a bridge to give the west settlers access by means of the east road would cost £70,000 or £BO,O-30. Mr T. E. Y. Seddon spoke about the Haast Pass road. The pass was only 1800 feet high. A bridge would have to be put over the Haast river. He suggested that the Prime Minister should make a trip over the pass and see the country. Possibly a road could be made farther north on flatter land. The country was timber and cattle country. Mr E. P. Lee (Oamaru) spoke of the Te Anau-Milford track. He referred to the linking-up of Milford with Wakatipu where the scenery was finer even than on the Mackinnon Pass route. A few hundred pounds would put the track in order and enable tourists to return via Wakatipu. Mr D. G. Sullivan referred to the Hoki. tika-Franz Joseph route and suggested that the streams on the route should be bridged. Mr Seddon supported this application and urged the completion of the road between Westport and Greymouth. Tho Hon. Mr Williams, in reply, said that he had noted all the matters mentioned and would carefully look into them. In so far as any promises made by his predecessor were concerned he would, after a talk with Mr Coates, do hie best to carry them out. As soon as he could get the opportunity after the session closed he would visit the South Island and go over as much of it as he could with a view to seeing for himself what was wanted from the settlers’ point of view of getting access. He did not say that nothing should be spent on scenic routes. He would like to go over tho Haast Pass and would do so if time permitted.