TOURIST ROUTE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20360, 18 July 1934, Page 13

TOURIST ROUTE.

Kingston-Queenslown Road to Be Completed. PROMOTING A ROUND TRIP. (“Star" Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 17. The Government has authorised the completion of the Kinarston-Queens-town Road, thus linking Lake Wakatipu with the southern part of the South Island, and providing a round tourist trip through the whole of the Lake Country. Recently authority was given for the construction of . a road to Milford Sound, and these two new roads will make it possible for passengers from Australia to disembark at Milford Sound, and travel through the scenic regions of the south before coming north. The possibility of linking Milford Sound with Westland is also under • consideration, and this if put in hand will be a further link »n the chain of tourist routes. It is also believed that the road from Milford to the end of the present West Coast road system at the Cook River would open up land for settlement purposes. The Kingston-Queenstown Road will be twenty-five and a quarter males in length, and was started by the Ward Government as a relief work but was stopped after fourteen and a half miles had been completed. Part of the road to be completed is mainly on level ground along the side of Lake Wakatipu at the Kingston end, and will provide suitable pick and shovel work for a large number of men. Men From Waitaki Works. Before the work can be begun ari rangements have to be made with the Lake County Council for maintenance of the completed road. When these arrangements have been made men from the Waitaki Hydro Works will be transferred to the lake to start construction work. Provision of road access from the south to Queenstown will naturally have some effect on the steamer service on Lake Wakatipu, operated by the Railway Department, said the Hon J. Kitchener in making the announcement. “Future alterations in the lake services may possibly affect access to GJenorchy at the head of the Lake,” said the Minister in conclusion. “The Government is not unmindful of this, and in the event of the lake services being Seriously curtailed consideration will be given to alternative acDiscussing the possibility of con- I stxucting a road from Milford to South : Westland the lion A. Hamilton, in an | interview to-day, said that the country between these two districts had been examined from the air by the Public Works Department, and it was believed !

that a road could be made without much difficulty. Although nothing had been decided he understood men would be put on to cut a track and report on the country as soon as the Milford Road was completed. The road suggested would be of more advantage than a road through the Ilaast Pass. The Minister added it would pass through good scenic country and would open up land suitable for settlement. From what was known of the country to the north of Milford it appeared that good timber and agricultural areas could be found there