THE BLUFF WARD PARADE.

Southland Times, Issue 19395, 8 November 1924, Page 2

THE BLUFF WARD PARADE.

To the Editor. Sir, —Reference was recently made in your local columns to the neglected state of the Bluff Ward Parade track. Its bad state is all your informant says it is; but its present condition is very much less the result of a few wandering cattle who have always been there, than the borough council’s lack of funds which during and since the war has been accentuated by the high cost of labour and everything else. During the financial stringency, caused by the Great War, the council I consider has shown commendable prudence in abstaining from lavish expenditure, until quite recently when it went in for a considerable loan. This, however, was not for the purpose of making accessible the natural beauty on the south side of the Bluff Hill (along which this track goes) but to embelish the artificial north side. So far as I know, no provision had been made to repair the damage the track has naturally sustained during the last seven or eight years in which practically nothing has been done to maintain it. In some places scrub has encroached on it and nearly all the gutters are filled up with sediment and vegetable growth, so the the water instead of running under, runs over the top of the track depositing mud and slime in many places. The result I is that many genuine lovers of Nature are ; excluded from one of the grandest land and ' sea scapes to be found, the interest of | which is increased by the fact that Nature ! has richly dowered the south side of this hill with some rare specimens of native flora. It is on the south side, too, that a generous patch of the now rapidly vanishing native forest is to be seen. Seen with its fringe of native shrubs, bush, ferns, rock ferns, etc., which extend in places down to high water mark, where the raging billows of the deep blue sea meet with the terrestial living glory this side offers a magnificent picture. Personally I consider the borough council will make a mistake, if the much needed repairs to the track are much longer delayed. This track must have cost a considerable sum to make and maintain as ’t once was, and it afforded aqcess to what is far and away the best (if not the only) scenic asset Bluff possesses. One thing, with your permission, I would like to mention which might be turned to practical account in the future and that is that during my visits to the south side of the hill, I observed where earth had been excavated from the side of the hill to form or widen the track. This earth in several places during heavy rains had slipped ’ away, leaving ugly gaps in the track, but in other places where willows had been planted and native shrubs encouraged to grow, the roots effectually bound the loose earth and prevented these slips. Whoever it was that planted those willows was evidently endowed with some designing wisdom and on making inquiries I learned that the credit of procuring and planting them belongs largely or exclusively to Mr Joseph Metzger, senr., of Bluff. It is common knowledge that he was a member of the borough council and acted as deputy-Mayor about that time and the keen interest he took in the welfare of this track was evinced by him and some of the other councillors putting in several days supervising and assisting the borough’s employees in making a place whereon motor cars could be turned, quite a mile further on than the pilot station. It must be 14 or 15 years since its construction and it is still intact. A moderate size car could be easily turned there yet. After its construction many cars traversed the track and one of the Governors made the trip and turned there. There must have been some broad-minded men on the council at that time, sufficiently appreciative of the beauties of Nature to make them willing to bestow a portion of their energy to make it accessible to everyone. And indeed it would be difficult to find in Southland a more congenial and salubrious place where brain fagged and jaded toilers of all sorts can enjoy a pleasant and profitable outing. It is only half an hour s walk from the Bluff railway station when you come into the presence of so abrupt a change in the scenery that it is difficult to realise that the town of Bluff is so near. I am, etc., S. HODGKINSON. Bluff, November 7.