THE ROADS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 309, 27 March 1868, Page 3

THE ROADS.

(To thk Editor of the Dcnstan Times, i j Sir, [rea l in your journal of the (ith ' inst.. an article which, if acted upon, i would he calculated to largely improve the ; country, improvements in the making and formation of roads being hadly wanted. I I j will place my views of the subject under four heads 1. In ray opinion the engineering depart- I | ment is imperfect, and almost all the works . have been very eaHessly and unseientifi- ■ cally pcrforme'l. When it is necessary to I rise an eminence a straight road is made over thehieh"«t hills no matter how steep, instead of taking advantage of the natural | level or sidelines, allowing a rise of one in every sixteen or twenty feet. 2. The culverts in almost every place are i ridiculously small, and, in ninety-nine cases i ont of a hundred, where there are abutj ments they are ill-constructed. Between i Dunedin and Queenstown there are one | hundred and forty-seven rivers or streamlets , to lie crossed, and, with very few excepi tions, they require to he properly bridged I or culverted. j ,1. There should-be'a perfect mainline | of mad eonnectins all the principal towni ships with flunedin, and there should be no I impediment to the easy transport of goods ; and merchandise. The road should be i made of a proper width for teams to pass each other, the bridges and culverts should be large and substantial, so as to escape injury from the rivers when flooded and the mountain torrents when swollen ; the foundations should be on the solid rock where practicable, to prevent the structure from being undermined. Every slight visitation of- floods would not then do so much harm to'the roads as to stop traffic, and bring the industry of the country to a stand-still, or to seriously enhance the price of food, which is almost everywhere abundant. It must be a source of great surprise to every ! man who arrives from the Old Country to ! find, how excessively dear is even- article

of consumption, all gendered so by the want of easy communication, and I believe that, in consequence of the high price of provisions, many persons are prevented—l might say actually prevented—from settling in the country. 4. There is a prevailing opinion that there is no money in the province for making roads, or for other important improvements. Now, I will explain, as briefly as possible, how in Ireland, in 1831, each county borrowed from the Board of works a sufficient sum to make new roads, build new bridges and retaining walls, and thus formed perfect roads for traffic through tha wildest mountain passes and deepest glens in the island. The money was obtained by way of loan fur twenty-five year-, at five per cent per annum. At that time money was move valuable than is now the case. Before the twenty-five years had expired the whole of the money was paid back. The benefits were good roads and a good system of roadmaking, not to be surpassed in the whole world. Through the instrumentality of good roads the laborer found constant employment and the mercantile interests were advanced. The sound of the hammer ami chisel tilled the valleys with music, far more welcome to the ear than the choicest strains of the latest Italian songstress. Bogs were reclaimed, swamps were drained, and the whole lace of the country was thus rendered more ftrtile. Trusting you will insert this in your valuable journal, 1 am, &C., A NEW CHUM. Queenstown, March 10, 181)8.