THE IDA VALLEY SURFACE-MEN.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 227, 11 July 1873, Page 3

THE IDA VALLEY SURFACE-MEN.

( To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chronicle.) Sir,—Complaints have on so many occasions been made, in my hearing of the manner in which these men discharge their duty, that I have often wondered they have not reached your columns, in. some form or another, long ago. I have, though agreeing to a great extent with those who complained, been unwilling to appear in the matter (seeing it is so thankless an office), hoping that a visit of the District Road Inspector. would effect an improvement;. but as he lias now made more than one visit without leaving behind him any evidence of good effected by his journey, I feel it is time for some publicity to be given to the complaints, and their cause. - Any traveller passing over the road from Kyeburn through Naseby to Dunstan cannot fail to notice the vast difference observable in the two portions of road—viz., that under the care of the surface men residing near to ITaseby, and who have charge of the road from the. Kyeburn Hotel to the junction of the ; two roads near to Eden Creek, and that which follows on from that point through Blackstone Hill. Whilst the first named portion is truly a credit to, and proof of, the attention and industry of the men employed thereon, evidence is not wanting along the other part that, the men think vastly more of the pay than of the work they are supposed to T do to entitle them to it. Indeed, the question of how little-can be done in a given time has, in my opinion, been reduced to a science by them. I never saw anywhere in my travels an instance of two men doing so small an amount of work for their pay. I know the Government stroke is a proverbially slow one, but it has this merit, it is continuous during working hours; but our friends of the road are frequently invisible (where they are supposed to be occupied eight hours per diem) for days and, I believe I may truthfully say, weeks, except when the u coach is passing or, the Inspector is expected. I have been several times amused at the spurt i of industry-that is put on for a few minutes as a 'genteel-looking horseman appears in ■sight,'-to be followed by a more marked depression: as soon as. he had attained a, safe .distance beyond them. The consequences of this system can easily be imagined, by your readers; but, even assisted by the view I have depicted, their imaginations, I am confident, ■ will fail to give themi a .true. picture of the. estate of the road referred to,. unless they be .very vivid. Often, as I have journeyed along it, have I pitied the poor horses, whose strength lias been over-taxed, and condition consequently reduced, by the extra efforts they had to make to drag their loads through this exceptionably bad piece of road ; and how the coach and waggon drivers have kept silence, or, I should rather say, abstained from making formal arid public complaint, I do not know ; and these men, air, are being paid by the country. We all assist in a greater or less degree to support them. We all contribute our mite to the swiping road-man to enable him to muddle his brain, and waste his time in the grog-shanty of his mate. Who i.3 responsible for this state of things ? Whose fault is it ? E verbo-ly using the road knows how true are my statements. Bpeak to whom you will of those who tread that road, and the unanimous reply would be the country could not contain two men less fond of work, or two men who are paid for doing so little. Perhaps, now the ice is. broken, others will use their pens to make known this long standing abuse, and I hope you, sir, will render what assistance you can to get it swept away. —-I am, &c.J A Traveller.