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Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 416, 29 October 1856, Page 5

To the Editor of the " Lyttelton Times." Sir,—What can the Canterbury Standard -mean by publishing the statement in its last issue, "that an outlay of £5,000 is to be made at Simmer, to supply that great desideratum, a place of safety for shipping mid discharging cargoes."withouttroubling Lyttelton in the matter ? Does the Editor really believe that there are six persons in the Colony credulous enough to swallow such rubbish ? Most decidedly, Lyttelton'will be the shipping Port of the Canterbury Province, when Sumner is still merely a fashionahlewateringplaee.'known more for its shrimps and sands than its harbour, and the Canterbury SfanfiardJmv'iTis; completed its mission, is remembered as one of the thingl which " have been." Believe me, you, Sir, are under an erroneous impression, in imagining that the subject of an easy land communication between Clmstchurchand Lyttelton has lostanv of its popularity; nay, rather, is' it not of all subjects the one which everywhere engrosses the largest share of public conversation and attention? Let the individual who expresses any indifference be compelled to surmount " the Hill" during a north-wester, and I warrant the weary tumble over loose stones and gravel will rouse him from his apathy. Or, better still, let such a one ride out after a soilth-wester by the great Sumner Road, and I thinic he will be convinced that the step in the right rMy?«Hovt has yet to be talc en. After having guided his f;<t pony in safety past the yawning gulphs, edged by nrecipices, which abound without any breastwork between Lvttblton and Evens' pass, he will quickly find himself in the bogs of Sumner valley, saddle girth deep. Should he manage to extricate, him self from this difficulty, and is not yot satisfied, probsrblv his well fed steed m^v suddenly take fright, at the ronr of the sea as it lnshos across t.lu» r<vnl n.ffcer rxissvng Rvunner propov ; and who shall be bold enoughs to

assert, that if we persist in wrongdoing, we may not yet have some individual we esteem buried alive, beneath the tons of earth and stones which so frequently fall from the overhanging heights upon the road itself, near the Shag Rock.

I say unhesitatingly, that to continue this unfortunate undertaking is to war against the elements, the natural formation of the country, and still more is it a resistance of the almost universal feeling of the whole community. The pertinacity with which the Superintendent in his last address still clings to his pet scheme, reminds one of the woman who was drowned by her husband, for obstinately giving utterance to the cabalistic word " Scissors," and of whom as she sank into her watery grave, the last portion visible was her hand, elevated above her head, the two first fingers firmly extended and opening'and shutting in imitation of the instrument, evincing her determination to the end.

Far better at" once to make a stand, to consider the money spent upon the Sunnier Road as lost, and to determine that not one farthing more shall be expended. Setting aside all other considerations, there is no doubt, that whatever work is done in the summer months is completely swept away by the deluging rains of winter, and so it would continue to be.

Having gone thus far in dwelling upon one of the evils which check our settlement in its advances, permit me to point to the remedy :— Let any person, open to conviction, walk carefully from Mr. Sewell's late residence in London Street, along the road marked out and in existence, up to Oldiield's farm, and so to the gorge or gully reserved for the Botanical Gardens ahove the town. He will find himself at the natural commencement of a tunnel through the hill, into the valley above Captain Morgan's house. An ascent to the top of the hill, by the path used by Major Hornbrook, will enable him to satisfy himself of the natural and singular adaptation of this part of the country to a road of veiy easy gradient, from the port to the plains. In this case, the tunnel would be not more than six hundred yards long, as compared with the one needful for the tramway at Evans' Pass of three hundred and fifty yards long. But the road itself would be, outside the tunnel, almost entirely a surface road, of barely three miles long, and not liable to be washed away, as compared with the eight miles, chiefly of dangerous side cutting, by way of Sumner. My subject would be incomplete, if I avoided a reference to the means. I have been assured that there are contractors in Sydney who would immediately undertake such a work for land, and, probably, not exceeding the twentyfive thousand acres proposed to be set aside for such a purpose. Ah, say the quid-nuncs, but this is the opinion of, probably, an unprofessional man. Believe me, I would rather trust to the efforts and common sense of a man of energy, than to those of the best theorist in the world lacking those essentials. Where did the great Stephenson, once the working coal miner, learn to make railways ? In what school was Peto, formerly a small builder in Little Britain, London, instracted in the same art ? I repeat, the common sense energy of those wonderful men was more useful to them than the most elaborate theoretical education coull possibly have 'been. Let us hope' such an one may shortly rise up amongst \is to undertake and push forward the work in the direction nature leads, instead of forcing it into a channel where the public imagine the .motives are simply mercenary and unworthy. Fortunately, I can disclaim any' interest in land in any direction between LytteltonandChristehurch, to mislead; equally, I am unbiassed by any boats engaged in the carrying trade. l*Vi-' Do it ivom n\o to to reier slightingly to the lost named valuable source of communication; a means of carrying which will be used, and compete successfully, even when railways have been made. The man* who oan stand on the rocks at Simmer, and carefully note these vess^s entering and.leaving the river, over the shifting and (limp-evous bar, and through the rocky ch;mne!, and will then say they do not earn their money well, is to be pitied. I do, however, elahn a most disinterested and fincere desire to see the colony shako oil' to s1 agnation at present pressing uyon it. mul I sincerely believe thai- a successful, but it must be prompt, solution of the road question between the plains and Lytteltor, would tend much to assist in that very desirable obi pot. I am. Sir, yours faithfully. " ■ X. Y.Z.