The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1872.

Dunstan Times, Issue 534, 12 July 1872, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1872.

-fieneaththe Rulcof Men entirely just the PEN is mightier than the s\v ord

It is now within an nee of eleven years since the opening of the Dunstan Goldfields, and yet wo are without a practicable road to Dunedin. That such is the case is positively disgraceful, and if no more is done towards road making than the hitherto tardily pur--13 e 1_ system, the present gold-work ings will be well nigh exhausted before there exists a road at all, and the necessity for such in a great measure obviated. It must be very clear to everyone interested in the success of the gold-fields that, unless we shortly acquire largely increased facilities foi locomotion, many projects calculated considerably to develop our mining industry and provide increased employment for the people will require to be ab-indoudoncd, while the same fate awaits a number of those already entered upon. It is not only that good roads are an accommodation, but they are of positive necessity. The conveyance of stores and material through miles and miles of quagmires, so increases their cost to the consumer that, in a great measure, he is compelled to dispense with their use altogether, and thus the commerce of the country suffers, while the industry to ■which this material could he applied languishes. Destitute as we are of forests in the neighborhood of our gold.fields, the cost of timber to the miner is a very serious drawback, and to this cause must be attributed many of the deaths which occur through falling earth. Al iners cannot afford to properly secure their workings, and life is consequently sacrificed. The loss by delays of mails, and the long time occupied in the carriage of goods must be very serious, and when wc come to consider that we are not distant one hundred miles from Dunedin in a straight line, twenty four hours delay in Tie delivery of a mail is an obstruction tvhich, under any circumstances ought not to exist. We will ask, whence arise all these delays—they are not because of accumulations of snow, heavy rains, floods, or storms

of wind, but positively contemptible mud, it is mud, mud everywhere, our roads are made of mud, and mud is used to repair them, even where stone exis's in abundance. We once remarked to one of the surface men or pie-makers, as Mr, Haughton naively describes them, why not till up the ruts with stone as there is plenty to hand, instead of using mud, we were met with the rejoinder, that mud was more easily shoveled than stone, ami the orders of the Road Engineers were to use mud. It is very apparent that some other system than the one now pursued with respect to read making must be sp edily adopted, or great loss to the public will be the consequence. If the Government cannot afford to make all the necessary roads at once, some better means might be devised for their repairs. Sections might be let out in small contracts, wdiich would be readily taken up by residents anti which, we feel assured, would be far better and cheaper than day labor. In the case of contracts, a great deal of the damage would be prevented, as it would be to the interest of the contractor to anticipate events by turning the water off the roads in wet weather, instead of al'owing it to cut up the wheel ruts and repair them afterwards. We almost dally see numbers of places where the storm water has destroyc d a road or track, which live minutes work with a shovel at the right moment would entirely have prevented. It is useless to crnsoleus by the promise of railways, before the iron road reaches the Dunstan, the great majority of adults will have done with Provincialism and its concomitant mud, and bo travelling on somed fairer roads. Even had we a railway, there must exist roads besides. The Victorian Government did not permit the Castlemair.c road to go out of repair because of the opening of the railway to that place, the necessity exists for both. 'I on much cannot be written or said about roads, tl ey are as essential to our interests and well-being as almost our daily food, and we hope that the gold-fields residents will tike up the matter strongly, and compel them to make practicable roads.