Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 509, 19 September 1857, Page 4

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.

Sib, —Enclosed is a lebter handed to me by Messrs. Wylde, Pullei-, &c, which, though I regret at having to do so, yet I must as an act of common justice to myself request you to publish, with the names attached thereto. I desire to add that I did not know till three or four days ago who sent the report in to the "Times" of the first Kaiapoi meeting which gave so much umbrage to Mr. Brittan. It was in substance, however, quite correct, and the resolution then passed was affirmed last Thursday evening, at a meeting of the Electors of Kaiapoi convened by Mr. Brittan himself.

Perhaps it may not be out of place to add that I was induced to preside at the above meeting through the representations of sevei'al gentlemen who thought Mr. Brittan would be present, and who urged to me that if I did so, it . would be a guarantee of fairplay on both sides. I am, Sir, Your Obedient Servant, W. C. BESWICK. Kaiapoi, Sept. 14,1857. [advertisement.] TO W. C. BESWICK, Esq., J.P. Sir,—We the undersigned having been present at the meeting called by Mr. Moorhouse, at Kaiapoi, on Monday evening, 31st August, have read with indignation and astonishment the letter in the "Lyttelton Times" of the 9th Instant, signed by Mr. Brittan, in which he states that the report of the meeting given in the "Times"-of the sth instant is incorrect, inasmuch as " the resolution proposed and said to-have been 'unanimously adopted' was, by 1 the representation of an impartial gentleman ; present," thus communicated to him:— " The Chairman having read the resolution, called for the ayes of those who approved of it, ou which some .half-a-dozen voices responded to it, and without putting the counter proposition the Chairman pronounced the resolution unanimously "carried;" which, sir, is a wilful misrepresentation of the facts of the case by.Mr. Brittan's informer, whoever that impartial gentleman may be. We distinctly deny that only some half-a-dozen voices responded in the affirmative to the resolution read by you as Chairman of the said meeting. Your words, on reading the resolution, were, " Gentlemen, you have heard the resolution; aye, or no ? Whereupon there was one loud shout of aye from at least fifty or sixty voices, and not one dissentient voice. " . . We feel this to be a duty that we owe to you, sir, as chairman of the above-mentioned meeting, for we very justly consider that Mr. Brittan's letter is meant to reflect upon your character in presiding over that meeting, and we cannot allow truth to be perverted in this shameless manner for any purpose, much less to stain the character of one holding so high a position among us as yourself, and whose straightforward and independent character is so well-known to us. Trusting you will make what public use you think proper of this letter, we beg to subscribe ourselves as follows:— John Fuller Octavius Peirse R. W. Smith Dryden H. Sneyd Henry Sheeres Wm..George Norman John Parnham Lewis R. Sheeres Francis Franks Benjamin Packwood James Wylde David Everest Francis Danby William Hutchinson William Smart William Norman Robert Wilson William Paish Robert Hamlett ' Chas. B. Leach Joseph A. Day, Surgn. Wm. Philip Welch John Ollivier Francis Lewis Rees Kaiapoi, 12th Sept., 1857.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sic—Permit me to hand you the following extract from the London ' Times' of the 22nd of May last. " MONSTER BLAST." Holyhead Harbour, May 21. " This magnificent operation came off with complete success at 20 minutes past noon this day, when, with ari aggregate charge, of 21,000 lbs. of powder, a section of Holyhead mountain, amounting in measurement to 160,000 tons of the hardest quartz rock, was dislodged. The most splendid sight was presented on the command 'Fire' being given, when a section of the mountain upheaved and came over like an avalanche, leaving a space'of 450 feet in length, 120 in height, and 60 in breadth, as a witness to the successful application of powder as a moving agent. "Nearly 10,000 visitors witnessed the operation."

If for " Holyhead" -we could read " Lyttelton Harbour," how quickly the vexed question of a Road from the Port to Christehurch would be solved. lam but putting on paper a popular idea, that some one worthy the name of " En^ gineer" will arrive among us as time rolls on, and by " Monster Blasts" at the head of one or other of the ravines or gulleys running to the hills above Lyttelton, move or dislodge sufficient from the top of the hills, so as to enable a road of easy gradient to be formed, and by a double operation consume the rock thus dislodged in forming a jetty or breakwater across the harbour, which then would be ,the finest in New Zealand. And now for the expense. Referring to a recent Sydney prices current, I find the quotation for blasting powder to be 4d. to 6d. per fe. We may consequently calculate that from England direct we may obtain 21,000 lbs. at 6d. per Ib. or for £525 sterling. Certainly not an enormous sum of money for moving 160,000 tons of hardest quartz roclc.

The Sumner Boad will really never be worth an ai'gument, or a penny of the money now being expended upon it; and I fancy the Provincial Council shortly to be elected will quickly pronounce the same opinion. m Sooner or later the road must be made in the direction and in the manner I have above rudely sketched. The question of time is now in the hands of the electors of Canterbury. I am, Sir, your's faithfully, Sept. 14. TRAVELLER.