CORRESPONDENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 265, 16 May 1855, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir, —Permit me through your columns to direct public attention to the present slate of the bridle-path from Lyttelton along the foot of the Port Hills to Christchurch. Formerly, whenever the communication by the Heathcote Ferry was interrupted, that path always ensured a safe communication for travellers on horseback, and for animals carrying packs. Formany months past it has become unfit for horse traffic, except at the very serious risk of injury to the horse. In spile of the incessant remonstrances of settlers located on that road, who are now suffering the greatest inconvenience, no attempt has been made by the local government to make it—(l do not say a good road, but simply)—safe for traffic. Yet I venture to affirm that to open a practicable track is but a matter of £10 expenditure, a couple of clays' labour, and half-a-dozen words with a proprietor to ask for a temporary right of way; nor does it require, even in an infinitesimal degree, the engineering talents of a Brunei or a Stepheuson. That kind of ' purchase' known to sailors as " main strength and stupidity" is all that! need be brought to bear upon a few cubic yards of earthwork, and the filling in a couple of gullies. At least three weeks ago (as I am informed) the attention of his ''Honor the Superintendent was directed to the fact that the Ferry Punt must almost immediately be laid up for repairs that might require a month to execute. About the same time, I took occasion to point out to his Honor's government, what was likely to occur. To the local authorities it must have been obvious that the want of the old line of bridlepath would (more especially at this season of the year) most seriously inconvenience nearly every settler in the province. Up to Saturday night last, I cannot learn that any efficient steps had been taken to provide beforehand, even by the most temporary make-shift, against the impediment that has now arisen to business both public and private. No local government, jealous of our credit in the eyes of strangers,or acting with mere ordinary forethought and care for the material and positive wants of the province, would (it will seem, I think, to the public) allow the communication from the Port to the Plains to remain longer dependent on the soundess of a rope, or the goodwill of any impatient coasting captain, who may prefer cutting it through to waiting till it can be slackened. I hope that those who like myself are personally interested in the improvement of this bridle track, will take this matter up and not let it rest until the local government have commenced operations in earnest. 1 am, Sir, Yours obediently, J. W. Hamilton.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir,—As there is every probability of the Punt, for the transit of horses across the Heathcote Ferry, being for some time discontinued,*! hope the government will take some- steps to expend part at least of the money voted last session for the repair of the road, under the hills, by the Rev. W. Willock's section. I hope, sir, this will be done ; if not for the convenience of the public, at least for the sake of those eminent men who represent Lyttelton in the Provincial Council. I am, sir, yours, &c, A Sufferer.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir,—Your correspondent, " Anti-humbug," by his officious meddling with matters tlmt do not concern him, lias charged me with putting forward statements that I cannot substantiate. To this, I challenge " Anti-humbug" to come forward, either in public or private, and I will prove all I have before stated. But "Antihumbug" being such a great possessor of land near to me, containing:, in measurement, about 2 acres of English grass,—set forth in his writing to be a very mighty man,— sending

forth to the public valueless articles, —Drumhead cabbage for Batterseas, turnip seed for Early York, (mixtures) various for sweed seeds, —all of which is a great disappointment to the public ; and a man who has to live by the public should be careful in committing to writing in a newspaper what may be all a hear-say. I challenge " Anti-humbug'" to come forward and piove the statement he has made in charging me with feeding my bullocks on my neighbours' crops; arid if he can prove this statement, I shall cheerfully pay any damages sustained on any enclosed lands or crops, that I have turned my1 cattle on to feed, as stated by him. But your correspondent might have forgotten that in his enlightened ability, he did set forth that a 3 ft 6-inch pin with post, 9 inches into the ground, was a sufficient protection against wild and wandering cattle; although he has made himself a judge for all the plains—he has greatly erred in his judgment in that, as one hour's good south-west wind would blow it down. I have no desire to meddle with matters that do not concern me ; by doing so, I should neglect my business ; my crops, my cultivation, my seeds, and produce generally, would be a deception, a delusion, and a gross imposition on the public. In conclusion, I beg to state that I am prepared to meet your correspondent face to face. I am not ashamed to subscribe myself, Your obedient servant, Geobge Allen. £We veiy reluctantly give a place in our columns to Mr. Allen's letter, on account of its personalities ; we must now decline any further communications from our two correspondents on this subject."]

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir.—Your remarks upon what is pompously called " Ministerial Responsibility," will I trust help to bring the members of our Provincial Council to some sense of the ridiculous position they are forcing- themselves into, and with them in some measure the whole Province. It is a source of satisfaction, though, that notwithstanding both these gentlemen and "Ministerial Responsibility '' are in another fix, the public funds are not paralysed, discounts are done at about the same rale as before, and the ordinary occupations of the colony jog on as usual. The fact is, there is not a d"ozen people in Canterbury a mile from the Government House, par excellence, barring the politically mad, who care a fig for the whole proceedings, except so far that the real work our representatires were sent to the Council to do, —viz: the settling- of the price of the Waste Lands, and the adjustment of the equitable claims of the Canterbury Association is delayed by the absurd attempt of these gentlemen to enlarge their political dimension. It is to be hoped that the moral of the fable of the irogs and the oxen will not be disregarded. Realiy, Sir, one almost imagines that our political fathers granted the Constitution to this colony on the principle which led the Spartans to allow their helots a plentiful supply of nobblers. Or with the same views that sensible nurses indulge precocious juveniles fond of sweets; or the wide-awake grocer who allows the apprentice that betrays a lurking fondness for the plum drawer to nauseate himself. Are we then to become a political sign-post to our southern neighbours? Is "NewZealand—dangeious " to be written in the memorandum book of the managing man in the Home Colonial Department? We are in danger of this, and even worse, for the veneration for political freedom in the Anglo-Saxon breast will be endangered if these freaks be continued. One word mi (he position Mr. Brittan has assumed. A few days since this gentleman taunted Mr. Hall, the late premier as he was styled, for not resigning- when his measures were rejected by the Council, —because "ministerial responsibility " was not carried out; yet having ejected Mr. Hall from the cushion, this outri advocate for responsibility himself becomes the adviser of His Honor without responsibility. Verily, indeed, this gentleman must have "an eve" for the public business. Will this explain Air. Brittan's feeling remarks on the Treasuryship being- withheld from the political prizes ? In the debate in the Provincial Council, when Mr. Brittan made this non-oflicial statement, Mr. Packer is currently reported to have made some allusion to a joint being out uf place, or a screw warned in the political machine. I have a great respect lor this gentleman who generally

speaks practically, and brews very good beer; in this case, however, I believe, he has made a mistake. In my opinion we have the wrong machine altogether; or to apply the illustration something nautically, we are attempting to build an ocean steamer when our work would only employ a steam tug, and a very little one too. The office of Superintendent has been transformed into a petty kingship; our Provincial Council into a legislative body, when, evidently, its functions were intended to be municipal only. We want every one of those ordinances repealed which make the Superintendent higher in authority than a chairman of a Town Council at home, and then if our Provincial Council would set about making roads instead of laws, the reproach of flighty legislation would be removed from us. Yours, &c. A Pilgrim.