THE STREETS.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 657, 28 July 1876, Page 3

THE STREETS.

To the Editor of the Glohe. Sir,—l most fully endorse your leader of last evening on the dirty state of the Christchurch footpaths. I have resided for some years in Colombo road, and walk backwards and forwards to town daily, and am in the habit of cleaning my boots every morning before starting. Well, thanks to the diligence and attention of the Spreydon Road Board, I can generally manage to get as far as the town belt pretty clean, even in the dirtiest of weather, but once having arrived within the boundaries of tlio city, all further hopes of arriving at my destination with clean boots are at an end, as it is impossible to cross the belt without getting up to the instep in mud. Then you have to choose the least of two evils—the east sidepath or the western; the latter affords a shelter from souwesters, but for the last four or five years, in wet weather, it would have made a good substitute for a skating rink, the only difference being that you would not require rollers. It is true that about three weeks ago the ceremony was performed of putting some sand and shingle on, which made it very nice for one week. I don’t know what it cost, but I fancy it must have been an expensive luxury, whereas if the same man, horse, and dray, had put about six times the quantity on, it would have lasted all this winter and next as well. In fact, they might as well have thrown the money into the ditch alongside as to put on such a sprinkling of shingle as would be buried in a week. The east side path, from which you are exposed to the full blast of a souwestcr, is certainly a little better, having been lately channelled and reformed, but the shingle was so sparingly put on that it is almost buried, and in one part (in true colonial style) there are several hollows left extending across the footpath, which arc filled with water in wet weather. The most absurd part of the business is, that the Council carted loads of earth away from either side when it was being formed. I think that the City Council might with advantage take example from the Spreydon Road Board in the matter of keeping the footpath and road in a passable condition. Trusting that I am not trespassing too much on your valuable space, I am, Yours &c A BELIEVER IN DOING THINGS WELL OR NOT AT ALL. Christchurch, July 27th,