Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 355, 26 March 1856, Page 4

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir.—ln the course of some remarks upon the [subject of the Roads Bill now before the Provincial Council, you assume that this measure was originally intended to provide for the construction ond repair of the Main roads of the province (such as the Iliccarton and North roads), as well as of the District or bye roads. So far as I have been able fo ascertain, this is not the view taken of the Bill by its own promoters. If such had been its object, is it likely the public would ever agree to its becoming law r Hoiv would it really work? Take for instance the case of the Papanui District. nil.-: is traversed from one end to the other by the Great North Road, the chief medium

of communication between Christchurch and the northern part of the Province. Of the traffic which takes place on thiß road, probably one-half has no immediate connection with the district, certainly that portion of the traffic which causes the greatest amount of deterioration to the road, viz., the carriage of timber and other heavy goods between Christchurch and Kaiapoi, is productive of no benefit whatever to the embryo ratepayers of Papanui. To some extent this road is doubtless used for what may be called district traffic, and I can understand, thereforeJa proposal to make the Papanui " Blocks " pay a portion of its cost; but to saddle them with the entire expense of maintaining a leading thoroughfare, merely because it happens to run through their district, would be obviously unjust, and would be resisted by them in a very determined manner. It would of course be optional with them to " work" this measure or not, and on the above terms the^fe* would assuredly have nothing to say to itl* The cases of the Riccarton and Ferry roads are very similar. I believe it will be found that if roads of general interest are to be maintained by a rate, it must be by a general ra*e, as was provided by the Bill introduced in the last session. The present Bill authorises only district rates, and can, therefore, only provide for district purposes. Reduced to these dimensions, the measure now proposed appears to you uncalled for— in anticipation of our real wants—and cumbersome and expensive in its machineiy. That it is not in anticipation of the real wants of the various country districts, a practical acquaintance with their roads during thejpast winter, or even during the present wet summer, would, lam satisfied,convince any impartial person. Owing to the progress of fencing, much of the traffic which formerly went ctcross private lands wherever the ground was hard and dry, is now forced into the precise line of road laid out by the surveyors. In consequence of the absence of any public funds for draining or effecting timely repairs upon these roads, they are becoming cut up to an extent which, if some remedy is not provided before the forthcoming winter, will render many of them impassable, and deprive the farmers of an outlet for their produce.

Whether the measure now under consideration is the best that could have been devised, is of course another question. I think, however, you have taken an extreme view of the manner in which it is likely to work. The maintenance of country roads need not, under proper management, be such an expensive affair as it has hitherto been. The heavy cost of our present road repairs is attributable in a great measure to the fact that the Provincial Government seemed incapable of doing the right thing at the right lime—the filling up a few holes here, the placing a culvert there, the clearing a ditch in a third place, which if attended to at once would have prevented further damsge, appeared beneath the notice of the Government, and were neglected until the road became in such an impassable condition that it was worth the while of the Provincial Engineer to undertake its repair at an expense five or six times as great as would have been originally required. It is also notorious that in most instances the Provin- v cial Government has paid for its work at a higher rate than private individuals. This is not to be wondered at, when it is borne I in mind that we have had but one person to

superintend the works carried on in every part of the province. Under local management both these evils would be avoided. The ratepayers would hardly dream ot keeping on a standing; force of labourers all the year round as you seem t0 apprehend ; the works agreed to be undcu

taken would be performed by contract, at the season of the year best adapted for their execution ; " a stitch in time to the road would be made "to save nine, and the work actually done would be paid for at a cheaper rate than under the present system. If the districts are not too extensive (those at present proposed appear too lar«*e), the'Waywarden would-be personally interested in the improvement of the roads under his control, and persons would probably be found to undertake the oHice, if not gratuitously, at any rate for what would just compensate them for the loss of thentime. Under such a system, a sum like £500, or even £300, would go a long way towards maintaining the roads, drains, &c., in a satisfactory state, and affording facilities for the conveyance of agricultural produce. Some defects may doubtless be pointed out in the measure now under discussion ; others will be found when it is in actual operation ; but this need not dishearten us. Young as we are in the work of law-making, and attempting, as we do, to provide for somewhat novel circumstances, we must be content that our legislation should >to a great extent be experimental, and that our laws should be submitted to frequent amendment. By dint of frankly admitting errors, whenever they can be ascertained, and honestly setting to work to remedy them, we shall arrive at last at the exact provisions best adapted to the circumstances of our case. Upon the whole, I believe that the Roads Bill, when it has been fully discussed, and its clauses have become well understood, will be found a useful measure, a great boon to the country districts, and a step in the right direction. I remain, Sir, your faithful servant, A Farmer. 19th Marcb, 1856.