The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1911. INVERCARGILL AND WANGANUI.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13338, 29 March 1911, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1911. INVERCARGILL AND WANGANUI.

Southland- 'n general and Invercargill in particular are more than fortunate in having the Premier of the Dominion as their guardian angel, and the wonderful prosperity which that province and its capital have enjoyed for so many years is largely due to the interest displayed in the welfare of this part, of New Zealand hy Sir Joseph Ward. It has a splendid railway system —none better in the Dominion; it is well roaded—infinitely better than this part of the countryit has had its full share of public monies in other respects; and it has no native land settlement problem to solve. Even the criminal class of the community are a benefit to Invercargill, for prison labour is being employed in a huge reclamation scheme there, which promises to provide a most valuable asset, bid residents of Wanganui know something of what can he accomplished hy prison gangs; hut Wanganui was hot one of the favoured localities when the reforms were carried out a couple of years ago, entailing the disestablishment. of the gaol here. This by the way. Invercargill’s project is to reclaim, over 3000 acres of lowlying water-swept land in the- New River Estuary—the largest project that has ever been proposed in that, southern go-ahead town, and one that, without the assistance of an approving Government, would be already beyond the resources of Invercargill itself. The Government of the day has given its approval, and consented to give the municipality the use of prison labour for five years until the immense undertaking has been accomplished. Of the -3000 acre area 650 acres will be reserved for a prison farin’, 250 for a proposed lake and park, and 70 for a reHreatioV’ground. The remaining 2000 acres will, on the completion of the scheme, be thrown open to selection in lots of five acres, I'en acres, and hot more than ‘fifteen dtSres. 'This reclamation, in Invercargill, 1 Which 1 has been iri

progress for some months, is not without its lesson for Wanganui just now, in view of the proposed further dredging of the river and the formation of a turning basin at Castlecliff. Has the Harbour Board considered the question of the purchase of the big swamp between Gouville and Castlecliff—which could be bought for <£lo or <£2o and acre—and filling it up with the spoil from the river? The Board would be justified in getting more powerful dredging machinery if by so doing it could reclaim land .which to-day is an eye-sore and almost worthless, and make it available for profitable occupation. It would be worth a good many thousands of pounds when reclaimed, and yte are assured that the scheme is quite within the range of “practical politics.”