ASPHALTE.

Evening Star, Issue 3442, 4 March 1874, Page 3

ASPHALTE.

To the Editor. IR >~Ths neglected state of our aspbalte footpaths has bten a matter of surprise to many of our good citizens.: Why are these paths, that have coat bo much money, allowed to get into such bad repair? Of course asphalte requires keeping up, juat thesame as a house requires a coat of paint occasionally. I remember that an offer was made to the City Council, some 18 months ago, by Knight and .a (now of Auckland), to keep all paths laid by them m good repair for any number of years for 2a per yard per year. The bad state of our paths at the present moment would make it impossible to inaugurate this system of topping at anything like that price, and this being the case/the City has suffered a loss, as well as having to put up with bad and rough paths. I fear that asphalte, which makes a really good path when properly looked after, has some enemies, and that an being made to throw discredit on it. Either this, or great neglect on the part of onr City authorities, is the case. The nagging cannot be laid down for less than 13s per yard, and will cost more per year to keep m repa’r than asphalte ; while the cost of asphalte, to lay and k eep in good repair for ten years, would only be 4s 2d per yard, and at the end of that time the paths would be better than whpn first laid. As a proof of the good character of asphalte. I would point to the trial piece laid by Knight and C 0., at the foot of Princes street steps, which has been down about three years, without flaying anything done to it in the way of reThis piece of excel’ent pathwork is still in tho best of order.—l am, &c., : John Joseph. Dunedin, March 3.