A BIG IDEA

Southland Times, Issue 22043, 16 June 1933, Page 6

A BIG IDEA

A road round the West Coast sounds! The project is big, it will involve a large sum of money —Mr Hinchey puts it at a million—but it must be remembered that Mr R. A. Anderson’s proposal, if carried out, will instal the “greatest drive in the world.” The West Coast sounds are •unmatched by anything of the kind in the world. Dr Furnival, after having travelled in many parts of the world, cam 6 to New Zealand to see Milford Sound; but saw the other principal sounds, and he declared that he had seen nothing more beautiful in the world. His enthusiasm was not limited to Milford. This new road project offers the Dominion the prospect

of a greater return in tourist traffic than the suggested road into Milford, because it is not unreasonable to suppose that the road into Milford will not bring visitors from overseas in larger numbers than the track has attracted. A drive which opens up all the sounds between Preservation and Milford is a different proposition, because it can be used as the basis of an advertising campaign, and will attract people from other countries. Only those who have seen the Sounds can appreciate the possibilities of this scheme. The exploitation of our ' scenic beauties is a means by which increased revenue can be secured, and here is a proposal which offers the opportunity to attract more visitors. Although the engineering difficulties will not be slight, and though the scheme will require a large expenditure, there is a prospect of an effective return which will make the undertaking profitable. Everything will depend on the cost. It is not easy to estimate the amount required to put the road through, but the scheme has so much to commend it that a searching investigation should be made to reach some decisive idea of the financial aspects. Certainly the “greatest drive in the world” is something worth paying for, because it will give access to matchless scenic beauties in such a way that tourists will find the invitation to enjoy them hard to resist.