The Lyttelton Times. Wednesday, June 25.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 380, 25 June 1856, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times. Wednesday, June 25.

The recent No. of the Gazette contains the appointment of returning officers under the Road Bill, which is thus to be put into operation as far as the Government is concerned. It lemains for the inhabitants of the several districts to consider whether it is likely to be a useful ..and efficient measure. The avowed objectof the Bill is the making of the bye roads, or occupation roads between the sections, but if the rate-payers choose to vote a sum for the making or maintaining any main road, instead of leaving it to the general revenues of the Province, the Provincial Engineer .will direct the Way.warden how to expend it.

We said the rate-payers—but if the rate-payers are inactive, and do not attend to their business, it is in the power of very few individuals, and in one district in the power of four or five to establish a rate to be levied on all the rest of the district. Inerefore, if this measure, is to be carried out, it is essential that all the rate-payers should attend all the meetings called. On the supposition of such an attendance's the measure an economical one ?

Assuming a district of say 6,400 acres with eighty rate-payers, the parties rated must attend 2 or 3 meetings yearly their loss of time and expenses may be estimated at not less than £80 per year Then the cost of the collection of the rate and remuneration of the Way-warden and other expenses, £80. Total cost, £J 60 per annum. The rate would produce £320 per a mum, from which deduct the cost of collection £80, and you ijnd a balance of £240

raised at an expense of £160, to the district. So for, we see the questionable economy of the measure and when we consider the creation of parties and district squabbles, and the far greater loss of time, than above estimated, which would be occasioned by opposing interests contending for mastery, there is reason to fear that this road bill will make more disunion and animosity .by its annual electioneering and 1 rating than any other measure. In smell populations, where the votes of 5 or 6 may turn the scale, these squabbles assume a more personal character, than in the larger population of the old country, just as these parties are more rancorous in small towns than in large. With respect to the application of the funds to be raised, each work must be done by a party of day or contract labourers, and we must extend into all our rural districts, the system of high wages on public works, which has been the bane of the colony by creating an artificial rise in wages, beyond what the produce of the land could maintain. If such are the evils of this measure, how else can the roads be made ? We reply, as they have been hitherto made in many districts. The owners of the adjoining lands make them. Instead of having to pay a rate, they can apply their own labour, when it suits them best, and with the greatest economy, on a road in which they feel the greatest interest. Under the road bill, if labour is offered instead of money, it must be given at the time called for, however inconvenient, and at any spot required, however distant and useless to the rtian called upon to labour.

A measure to provide means for obliging the owners or occupiers of land to contribute their proportions either in money or labour for making these bye-roads, and for providing the means of distraining for the amount due, if refused would have answered every purpose, without the objection of introducing the small end of the wedge" of tr-xation. With respect to the main.-roads it may be alleged, that if there are four main roadsto be made, by four districts, it is much the same whether each district makes one road, or all four combine their funds to make the four roads, but we reply that there are 13 districts, 9 of which would not be rated at all for the four roads. These main arterial roads, each of which is the only communication to the different ] districts, ought therefore to be maintained out of the General revenues of the Province, as being of far more general interest than the Snmner Road, which is only an alternative line competing with the Bridle path by land, a.id the navigation of the rivers Heath cote and Avon.

The brig " Prima Donna," has brought Auckland papers to the 11th instant. The most important of the news now to hand, will he found in another column, to make room for which, we have been,compelled to postpone several local paragraphs. We have no later news from England by this mail, but we understand that an English ship was passed by the " Prima Donna"' as she was leaving Auckland.