Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 389, 26 July 1856, Page 5

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the " Lyltelton Times." Sir, —It is no use complaining of the roads, as we now hope that the Way-wardens will relieve us of that grievance ; but when the only made road in the Province is rendered impassable by the negligence of a boy, who has charge of the punt at the Heathcote "Ferry, it then becomes the duty of ihe public to recommend the Executive Government to take such measures as shall prevent the Ferry buat being rendered useless in fine weather and during the day. At half past eight, on the morning of the 24th, the punt was high and dryland the road therefore useless. The pun'; at the.'Waimakariri is serviceable at. ali times, and in all weathers, notwithstanding the size of the river and the. rapidity of the stream. I, therefore, see no reason why the boat, on a so much more manageable river, should be so constanily stopped. I am, Sir, yours obediently. "Wayfarer.

To the Editor of the " Lytteltnn Tim^.'' $ IR —Your recent article on the ro-.uls and road-makers of the Province undoubtedly contains all that truth and justice require to he said concerningl thorn: still there remains another view of thai tnnch vexed question, to which I am the more anxious to direct your attention, as 1 behove it to he the one practically laken by threefourths of my fellow colonists. It iscomfortable that "you acknowledge the iudeiea-

sible right of Englishmen to grumble, with or without reason ; but I think you do not sufficiently appreciate the_'peculiar adaptation of this same subject of roads to the exercise of that privilege. Every Englishman knows, (though heaven forhidairy foreigner should.) I surmise, that half the boasted domestic concord and political tranquility of our happy island is simply owing to the abundance of public grievances, on which we work off our superfluous spleen. Now here, we are deprived of at least two.-, thirds of these escape-valves. First, we have not that inestimable scape-S-oat, the weather. Our climate is unimpeachable. But if we gain in sound lungs and saving of flannels, think what we lose in many and many a cheering groan at 4i these detestable fogs." There,-when any thing went wrong,—if our best Man ton would'nt bring down a feather, or cook underdid the mutton, how soothing-, instead of reproaching oneself or frowning across the table at one's wife, to be sure that these and all the other ills and sins of the nation were solely attributable to Lord John's '■ fantastic tricks :' in office, or Mr. Disraeli's factious opposition out. Here, the Government and its wives are file's near neighbours and political friends, and if one does abuse them, they only laugh in one's face. In this deplorable state of things I maintain that a good solid grievance, which is nobodys fault, and which is exceedingly unlikely to be rectified by any body, is a real blessing, and that you, Sir, ar,e bound forthwith to lend your aid in " putting- down " all those unpleasantly sensible people, whose ill-timed reasonableness, will always insist on explaining that '- after all, our roads are better than those of any \ other young colony," or on being informed, "' What is the use of blaming the Provincial engineer, when we know he has no funds ? " As if either of these facts had any earthly connection with my bilious headache last night, or the ill-temper I naturally feel at having had to get up two hours before I liked it this morning. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant Johx Buzr,.