THE ROADS

Dunstan Times, Issue 311, 10 April 1868, Page 3

THE ROADS

(To Thk Editor Of The Dojst.is Times.) Sir,—The article of " New Chum's " in your issue of 27th March, I beg to comment on, in so far as the Ooldfields is concerned. The inference of his preamble is not true. His first' heading is simply ridiculous, and untrue. The first part'of liis second heading evidently refers to eulverts made liy miners across the road, which, in many cases are rather small. The public can judge of the remainder of this heading. Portion of his third heading is evidently a few extracts from a shilling treatise on road making; the inference that, the public works suffered more from floods, than private property isjmtrue, indeed a good deal of road damage is from water races bursting away, and, (jtho flood, which, according to yi nrjuper did such tremendous havoc amc-mrst th-s farmer*, i id bet jvery lit lie damage to the roads. As a ]in of of the f< od and tfTcicnt state of the roads, goods are now being con veyed from Queen s-to wnj to) Duncdin for £!> 10s (Id per ton,' k a fact worth) one thousand imaginings. The whole inierencu of heading No. 3, is based on untruthful grounds, and is not true, if ''easy communication " means a fair road. In heading Nu. 4, he displays his ae(jtiaintanship with money borrowing, it is very pleasant to think that such import: ant works were done in Ireland, and that with (Jovurnmont?aid " bogs were reclaimed, swamps were drained, and the whole face of the country was thus rendered more fertile," but wdiat sort of crop liid it yield! New Chum's letter mav lie considered in several lights, (ami 1 state my belief, that he is a very old resident). 1. That his letter is the emanation of a mind desirous for the advancement and prosperity of the whole Province. 2. That his letter is aiming at raising a district dissatisfaction. 3. That it is a shot at Provincialism, by a mind desirous to undertake financial reform of a district. 4. That it is only an expressed desire to have a change in the Kngineering department. The people of the Province will no doubt determine which it is, when the author is manly enough to put his name to his letter. I have finally to state that fromDunedin to Dunstan, two good dray roads exist, and a third will shortly lie completed, that a fair guage of the state of the roads, is the cost of transit, which is now at the minimum ; as a proof of the completeness of ihe road communication, I will state that in previously isolated outlandish places, you will see the miners enjoying all the comforts of the seaboard, and the papers a day or so after they are printed. I am, Your's, &c. AN OFFICIAL. Cromwell, 2nd April ISCB.