THE RAKAIA PASS. (FROM THE LYTTELTON TIMES.)

Evening Post, Issue 99, 3 June 1865, Page 2

THE RAKAIA PASS. (FROM THE LYTTELTON TIMES.)

Mr. Browning's discovery of a practicable route from the Enst to the West of Canterbury has, for the fir>t time, given rise to a genuine belief among the public that the two parts of the Province may soon be connected by a road. We are fully alive to the value of a careful scientific survey, and are quite conscious of the danger that attends hasty conclusions in engineering. For that reason we advocate an immediate enquiry. But without waiting for the result of that, we have before us the plain direct statement of the explorer. He tells us that there is no engineering difficulty in the way of making a road by the route he followed. And Mr. Browning ia a man to be trusted. Even if the public had not already good reason to give him credit for high scientific attainments, the nAtter and tone of his very short. narrative are such as to beget general confidence in lm correctness. We trust the Government will use the best means in their power to do justice to Mr. Browning's discovery ; and in the meantime we shall go on believing that a road may really be opened quickly and cheaply between Christchurch and Hokitika by the Kakaia Pass. It is the means of access to the diggings that, we have been instinctively expecting to find. W hat, then, is the country which begins to come so close to vis — as close as Timaru ? The West Coast, till lately, seemed but a narrow strip of beach between precipitous mountains and the sea. But the discovery of gold has led to the discovery also ot what the letter of a reliable private informant calls " a majrninceut and extensive track of rich soil, well fitted for agriculture." The extent of the domain thus added to the Province is not only gratifying for the new resources which it opens up, but also because it proves how narrow ia that strip of unavailable country which divides one part of the territory from the other. The character of the country on the East Coast may be gathered from that of its rivers. The Hokitika ia a stream rather les9 rapid than tho>e on thw coast. It is navigable for eight or ten miles up, and boats have gone up to different points more than fifteen miles from the sea, measured in a straight line. There are few, if any, rivers on this coiat of which so much can be said. ¦ The country through which rivers of this character flow, however hidden by bush, cannot be really inaccessible for the colonist. The river itself, also, at present, takes off fifteen miles of the 'most important part ot the road. Use cun be made of it for many purposes ol conveyance, at least until a proper road is cut. The distance from the level on one side of the hills to that on other is .thus reduced to abnnt 16 miles, and this disance includes a portion on the Kakaia itself. The one obstacle to be met with on the whole road is no greater than has often been overcome bef >re in Canterbury and elsewhere in New Zealand. The saddle which presents itself on ascending the river to its source is about 1,500 feet high. About 200 feet of this height is cut off by a terrace at the foot, upon which a road may be readily taken. And further, the saddle itself, instead of forming an unbroken ridge rising on each side up to the loitier hills, i« f .rmed with a depression or shoulder, on the southern side, flanked by a natural basin, out of which .one or the streams issues. Another 200 feet, or thereabouts, may be taken off the height of the saddle, if the road can be constructed, as sterns most likely, through this depression. What remains is in height and steepiess similar to the Bridle-path on the Lyttelton side; but with plenty of scope for an easy sidling to be cut from one flank of the slope to the other. It remains to be determined exactly how the road shall be carried from the top of the pass to the second or wooded saddle ; but here, we presume, the local knowledge ol Mr. Browning or his companion Mi*. Griffiths will bd used to aid a professional road engineer. As we have said, we accept Mr. Browning's opinion that no engineering difficulty exists on the whole line, and therefore we see no reason to doubt that the right road will be easily found. At any rate, it must be a very easy matter to erect a telegraph. We are not prepared to waste months in thinking about it, and years in carrying it into effect. We want a good " bush " for present purposes, such as will do fair service at small cost. We presume that the General Government will refuse to consider such a line as part of the trunk sj'stem ; and even if they were willing, they might, under present circumstances, be unable to erect it. If they will not undertake it, and that speedily and on a proper system, we advise the Provincial Government to do so themselves. One thinsj aeem^jnore desirable. Our Laud Regulations do uflfc* permit sales to take place anywhere but at n,

Christchurch. Would it not be well, both t) gpt. parts of the gold fields thrown open fot' #«le, and to have all sales of land on the Welt Coast conducted at some place or places 'within the district itself? Rtsolut;ona ol Hie Council, to be followed by an Act of the General Assembly would effect this object within a few months. And if, without offence to the Government, we may make anothe suggestion in favour of our fellow settlers in the West, it is that they should move for Hokitika to he brought within a Supreme Court circuit. "Without it, property is not sufficiently protected, and crime p-oes almost unpunishtd.

Mr. Warden Beetham, writing from Wakatipu under date 20th May, says :— " We have experienced the worst weather I have seen Bince I have been in the district, not any very heavy rain, but an almost constant drizzle, with sleet and snow. The mountains have now put on winter clothing for the next few months, and everything connected with the weather is cold and dismal." A Good Stout iv true. — Frazer's Magazine says :— " A native church had recently been erected, and some friends of the Maori race had subscribed to purchase a harmonium, capable of playing a certain number of sacred airs without the aid or an organist. It was, In fact, constructed on the some principles as the hurdygurdies to be seen in the streets of London, nnd differed only from them In Its airs being sacred and not secular. It so happened that the tradesman, from whom it was bought, had imported at the same time another instrument similar in appearance and construction, intended for the amusement of a Maori chief, who had a ta te for the popular sirs of the day. By some mistake the secular instrument was forwarded instead of the SAcred ; and nothing was known of this till the opening of the church. A stalwart Maori had been selected to grind the music, and the officiating minister, suspecting nothing, gave out the hymn. When the Maori began to turn the handle, the accursed instrument gave no uncertain sound ; it stiu-ik up that lively popular air, " Pop Goes the Weasel," The poor minister was speechless with horror and su prise, but the congregation innocently joined in with the lively notes, and rather admired the new air selected for the s ilemnity. The minister held up his hand as a signal to stop, but the former, mistaking his ' meaning, only made the handle revolve with greater rapidity ; he stamped with rage and impatience, but faster went the instrument, till the congregation were almost breathless in their effort to keep up with it. At length the minister took a sensible view of the subject ; he observed that the congregation suspected nothing, and came to the sound conclusion that there is no scandal where there is no discovery. He submitted to the evil one day, but had the mistake rectified without delay. It is said that the congregation still regret the absence of the lively instrument which led their devotiens at the opening of the church." •• Now, gentlemen," said Sheridan to his guests, as the ladies left the room, "let us understand each other. Are we to drink like men or beans ? " Somewhat indignant, the gieata exclaimed, " Like men, of course." — ' Then," he replied, " we are going to get jolly drunk, for brutes never drink more than they want."