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Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 187, 9 August 1854, Page 1

a temporary communication between the Port and the Plains, and referring me at the same time to Mr. Bray'e Report on the same subject. 2. I now beg in reply to lay before the Provincial 'Government a suggestion for the formation of a dray road over the Port hills .to the Heathcote Ferry, which appears to me to meetthe exigencies of "the easel 3. Before .proceeding, however, to the details of this plan, I would beg to make a few remarks on the several proposals which have been brought forward for the consideration of the Government, because upon their respective adoption or rejection would depend in a great measure the nature of the temporary communication which would best meet the conditions of the case. 4. The idea which at first naturally suggests itself is to render the existing water communication more efficient by putting a steamboat on the berth between LyUelton and the river Heathcote. A clipper schooner with an auxiliary screw, drawing not more than six feet of water, and capable of carrying from 20 to 30 tons of cargo, (dead weight,) besides, fuel and passeng-ers, and making daily trips from Lyttelton, would be amply sufficient for carrying on the traffic between the Port and the Plains until a more perfect mode of communication could be established. It is scarcely to be expected that the present trade between Dyttelton and-Christ-church would pay the expenses of such a vessel, but during slack times she might be profitably engaged in bringing timber, firewood, and dairy produce from Banks' Peninsula, and in making occasional trips to the coast stations of the more distant settlers. 5. There is, however, a serious obstacle to the carrying out of this plan, arising not from want of any commercial enterprise, but from the character of the entrance to the Sumner river. The difficulty is of a twofold nature. In the first place, the great bulk of the water brought down by the Sumner river rushes through the opening of the reef which forms the eastern side of the navigable channel, the current in the latter being in consequence too feeble to be of much assistance in running in or out, whilst the set of 'he ebb and flood tides directly across the channel, exposes vessels to the risk of running foul of the rocks on the one hand or of grounding on the sand spit on the other. In the second place, the heavj' sea which, during easterly weather, breaks along Sumner bay and the forty.mile beach, often prevents either ingress or egress by sailing vessels for weeks together. In the present contracted state of the channel, it is not safe to bring into the river ajiy but the smallest description of decked craft, and the employment of a steamer of sufficient length to run safely through the surf would be out of the question. 6. If, however, the present open reef were Formed into a solid pier by filling up the openings between the rocks, the effect would, be, by confining the water to the navigable channel, to straighten, widen, and deepen it to such an extent that it would admit a steamer of sufficient size and power to run safely through the surf in all ordinary weather. 7. It is unnecessary to enter on the question of the best means of executing