CARRICKTON ROAD.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 235, 12 May 1874, Page 6

CARRICKTON ROAD.

To the Editor of the Cromwell Argus. Sir,—Will you kindly afford me space for a few remarks regarding the expenditure of Government money in repairs of the road between Quartzville and Oarrickton. No doubt, by the repairs which are about concluding, considerable improvement has been effected for present traffic ; but for the corning winter months, when the great difficulty wiil present itself of keeping up the necessary supply of coal to the crushing machines, the work done, without a further expenditure, will prove useless. To bring before the notice of the District Engineer, who, I suppose, has control in the matter, the necessity of a slight further expenditure is the reason I now trouble you with this letter. The road, in a fortnight hence, when the frost sets in, will require for the succeeding three months the constaut work of a wages-man, to make up by metalling the weak or soft parts of the road as they appear, after the ravages of the frost and traffic. Otherwise, ruts wiil form half the depth of the dray spokes, causing the entire stoppage of heavy loading, as was the case last year. ,

The consequences resulting in such case I will shortly state. (1) The machines will be compelled to stop for want of coal, thereby causing the production of gold to cease to an amount upon which the duty would be much in excess of the man's wages. (2) The men employed at the machines, as well as all those in the claims, will be thrown out of employment in the worst time of the year, and the majority of them compelled to leave in search of it elsewhere. (3) The companies will thereby be placed at considerable disadvantage, as they will not be able to find other men equally suited to their purpose for a long time. It comes to a question as to whether it is better to pay the wages of one man for three months and have a good road for a long period, or by not doing so cause all the evil consequences above-mentioned to result. I think the question is not difficult to answer. As a matter bearing close relationship to this subject, I beg to remark that in my opinion a serious mistake has been committed somewhere in making Carrickton the terminus of such Government repairs. They should surely have been extended to the Elizabeth and Star and-Oak batteries. Or was the item placed on the Estimates solely for the advantage of Carrickton publicans and Cromwell spirit-merchants ? So far as the Carrickton general public are concerned, the matter of greater facilities for cartage does not aiFect them beneficially, as nobblers maintain the price, and very little else is sold there, the principal supply of other goods being packed, which could be done no matter how bad the road.

But the repairs stop dead when they reach the publicans, notwithstanding that the 800 yards or so of road on the other side of Carrickton up to the machines, upon which both quartz and coal are being carted, have always been in a much worse state for want of repairs than the other part. Does not this look strange compared with the fact that the coal alone carted to these machines i 3 at least six times greater in quantity than the whole of the other goods carted to Carrickton ; and the quartz quadruple the coal in weight ?

I think you will agree with me that these companies are the mainstay of the place. Without them there would be no Carrickton. Such enterprise as they have exhibited, I think more deserving of recognition by the Government than any claims that business people can put forth. T mxy mention that they have been at considerable expense in trying to keep this road even in the miserable state in which it has been kept; but I believe a small judicious outlay under the direction of the Engineer would make it passable ; without which the evil consequences alluded to are very likely to occur. Should no money be available for outlay utton this part of the road, perhaps our M.P.C., who proved himself so successful in obtaining grants last session, may see his way to obtaining one for this purpose. In the hope that something may be done, and that the importance of the subject will excuse the length of this letter.—l am, &c, A Drayman. We the undersigned vouch for the truth of the statements contained in the above letter, and would express a hope that some action may Ibe taken as regards keeping the road from Qnartzville up to the Star-and-Oak machine in repair. James Lawrence, Carter W. MenZIES, Manager Star & Oak William Bell, Coalpit Proprietor A. Cameron, Mine Manager .John K\y<:, Carter.