ROAD WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 25363, 15 August 1935, Page 9

ROAD WORKS

SOUTHLAND PROJECTS COMMENT BY LEAGUE Reference to four important road construction works in the south is made in the annual report of the Southland League. The portions dealing with roads are as follows: The work of constructing the Milford Sound road is progressing steadily at a point about 60 miles from the Lake Te Anau Hotel. About 250 men are employed, and it is the intention to commence the work through the Homer Saddle in a few weeks. The tunnel will be 60 chains long, with a roadway width of 18ft to provide for two-way traffic, and provision will also be made for a footway on either side for pedestrians. It is expected that it will take 2/ years to complete this work, so the tunnel will probably be ready for use early in 1938.

Many glowing references have been made by visitors concerning the scenery which has so far been made available in the Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys as the construction of the road has progressed. It is certain that New Zealand and Southland in particular, will have a scenic asset second to none in the world when the ultimate destination of Milford Sound is reached. The late Mr John Cockburn was responsible for first drawing the leagues attention to the possibilities of a loading project to Milford Sound via the Eglinton Valley and Hollyford, and the league is at present moving towards having the late Mr Cockburn’s name permanently identified with the road, by having some prominent feature named after him. Kingston-Queenstown Road. It is gratifying to report that advice has been received from the Government that the Kingston-Queenstown road is estimated to be completed by June, 1936. The league had hoped that the road would have been completed to allow for its use by traffic during the coming tourist season, but this has not been found possible. The work of constructing this road was stopped about six years ago when it was the best part of two-thirds completed. From that time the league untiringly urged the Government to resume the work, and after such repeated representations the announcement made some months ago that construction was to be resumed, was received by the league with considerable gratification. The league has always felt that a road between Kingston and Queenstown is a connecting link essential to the reading system of Southern New Zealand, and that the progress and development of Central Otago and Southland demand it accordingly. The Josephville-Caroline road is another project that has assisted towards providing work in the district, so assisting to relieve the unemployment problem. After striving for the connecting up of the Josephville-Caro-line section of the Invercargill-King-ston highway, for some years past, it is pleasing to the executive to report that the work has been proceeded with during the year and is likely to be completed at a comparatively early date. It will mean the elimination of the present detour to Lumsden via Castlerock, and will be a great advantage to many settlers and to the town of Lumsden. Chaslands Road. The scenery along the Chaslands route is very fine, and is often described as bearing very favourable comparison with the famous Buller Gorge Road on the West Coast of the South Island. The league advocated that the road should be made a main highway, and it is pleasing to report that such declaration has now been gazetted. This will mean there will be more money available for the upkeep of the road such as is warranted by its importance, for it is rapidly becoming a popular alternative motor route between Invercargill and Dunedin. The league has also represented to the Government the desirability of areas of the bush adjoining the road being preserved for scenic purposes. The Minister in charge of Scenery Preservation has advised that the question has his entire sympathy, and that although sections of the bush areas are now held in freehold or leasehold, that as regards provisional State forest areas there is no possibility of milling being carried out except at a considerable distance back from the road on reserves under the control of the service.