FITZHERBERT.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 52, 30 June 1880, Page 3

FITZHERBERT.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib, — When travelling on the Gorge road the other day, we could not help being struck by the inconvenience, and even dapgeiy to which the travelling public are put by the present means afforded of crossing the Manawatu Eiver. As an instance of the danger, I rheard'from an eye-witness that it was only the other .day that a dray was crossing on the punt, with a load, of goods, and when m. the middle of the river, the wire frope carried away, and the pnnt was washed some distance down on to a bank, canting over and going underwater so much m its course as to throw the horse and damage part of the load; and I beliove this is not the first time of ropes giving way. Even when we wore there, the punt could not be brought within some fifteen yards of the shore on this side, and horles had to be taken some fifty or sixty yards up the shore and ridden down the stream, running considerable risk* of getting- into a quicksand that was there. Iv daylight this may not be so' bad, but after sunset it is certainly dangerous. Seeing this, one cannot holp wondering, what is the reason that the road which they are now clearing through the Fitzherbert Block is not m a more forward state, for it does not seem a bit further advanced than .when 'l passed through the same way some months since \ and surely it would be a very useful road, especially for stock, which it would be at present highly risky to cross at the ferry ; and it would also, 1 should think, open up a large block of very valuable land.— I am, &e^ ' A Travellee.