TE ANAU ROAD.

Southland Times, Issue 21429, 25 June 1931, Page 3

TE ANAU ROAD.

To The Editor.

Sir, —In a recent issue of your paper I noticed a' letter concerning the Te Anau Road. I think it is about time that the people of this Dominion knew something of the squandering of public money on this venture. In the first place the patch of good land quoted by your correspondent is 83 miles from Mossburn. But what about the 33 miles traversed before you come to the Eglington Valley? This land is utterly useless and if it were offered in thousand acre blocks free to the relief workers, you would not get one bona fide settler. The road from a settlement point of view is an utter failure, and anyone who has been over the ground knows that it is just very inferior run country. In regard to workers on the road, the majority do their work well and cheaper than most council contracts. In regard to management of this work, it is a public scandal, but anyone engaged on the road who says anything is a marked man, and off he goes. I remember seeing an article in your paper, “Buy British Goods,” yet we have seen eight teams replaced by eight American motor lorries. Do you consider this is the way to benefit the country? And I might say that horse teams were quite satisfactory, if the work was done in the proper season of the year. I say it is time for the public to wake up and at least put the management of the United Party’s white elephant under practical management.—l am, etc., OBSERVER.