THE PENINSULA ROAD.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2643, 7 August 1871, Page 2

THE PENINSULA ROAD.

To the Editor, Sir, —In your last night’s issue, while commenting upon the action decided in the Resident Magistrate’s Oourt yesterday, you say, “ The means of intercommunication with the Peninsula have hitherto been precarious and expensive. The present road is at many periods of the year, and in bad weather, almost impassable, and at all times involves such *au amount of -haulage as to interfere very materially with the price at which produce can be supplied, thus retard! ing development and taxing the settlers very heavily. The road in course of construction mijht be on a nearly level gradient from Dunedin to the Hade, and thus facilitate settlement and increase the value of all the property to which it rendered access easier.” Now, sir, in the portion of your remarks quoted above yon are in the main coi rect, yet in one very important matter you are decidedly wrong. Previous to the formation of the settlement by the New Zealand Company, circulars, posters, and pamphlets were circulated by that company, showing the advantages parties emigrating to Ot&£0 would enjoy. Among others, a certain portion of the proceeds of laud sales was to be devoted to education, so much for the making of roads, &c. ; also making it a condition of sale that all parties purchasing should have a certain portion of .own, rural, and suburban laud. Many of those who came here on those terms selected their suburban section on tbc Peninsula in the faith that the original plan would be adhered to; but what is the fact ? No possible outlet has yet been provided! and when heavy taxation has been imposed by tie settlers on themselves, for the purpose of doing what was to have been done by the New Zealand Company or the Government, it is found that by the division of the road districts the Anderson’s Bay Road Board commands the outlet for the North-East Harbor, Broad Bay, and Portobello districts ; and uo.t having any need for the constructicu of that portion absolutely necessary to the other, refuses to make it ; while the other boards not having power to expend any of their rate outside those several districts, were, brought to a standstill In those circumstances, application was made to the Government to complete the road by prison labor, and some years a„o stars were taken by them in that direction, lint owing to the demand for thejr setvices in Dunedin, it was only, lately,’ when cojmderable pressure had beetf bfbught to, beat' upoi* ■ Utf (sfovcmmeirt

by the settlers, that the work was again commenced, and it is likely to be delayed by the action by Mr Holmes. The portion of your remark I object to, is where you say the road is sometimes impassable. Now it is never otherwise. There being no road whatever to that part of the Peninsula, the settlers are entirely debarred from making any use of the district road already partially formed. I hope you will insert this correction, and also use your powerful pen in support of the rights of your fellow colonists, whose interests have been so shamefully' neglected. I am, &c., Fair Play.