CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 28, 1 February 1877, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.' Sir,— l should like to call the attention of those in authority to the dangerous state the road over the Maungatapu is now assuming in many places, particularly on the Pelorus side. The constant heavy rains experienced during many previous months have caused slips, and completely cut out the centre of a track (never too wide), not leaving sufficient on either side for horses to walk on, which necessitates travelling in this gutter; a most unpleasant mode of progress, more especially when raining, for in a very short time a rivulet of three or four inches deep collects in the watercourse, the bottom of it being all sharp-cornered stones, so ruinous to horses feet should they cast a shoe. In one or two places where rock extends right across the road, this constant washing over it has caused a drop of between two and three feet, quite unsafe for ascending or descending. Now, to make any permanent improvement on this road, it would require to be lowered, slanting inwards to the bank, removing all the earth to a level with this watercourse, thus causing all water to run on the inner side of the track, and on the most solid part against the hill, thus leaving plenty of room for travellers 5 only to fill this gutter up agaia with earth would simply effect a cure until the first heavy rain. But as it. would require a large outlay to establish anything like lasting benefit, not only on the Maungatapu, but also from the Heringa to Pelorus Bridge, would it not be very much wiser to apply the same amount, and perhaps something more, towards opening up the road at once through the Rai Valley, which, according to Dr Hector's statement,, would be the commencement of a good dray road, thus evading a climb which very few people wish for the second time ? On the one route through the Rai Valley we have everything to gain— easy travelling, opening up large tracts of land for settlement, with a prospect of minerals, and the certainty of most valuable timber— whereas this old road offers nothing except to a morbid mind who wishes to see where a fearful tragedy was accomplished years ago, and therefore it is to be hoped our leading men will recognise the importance of judiciously applying the funds at their disposal, and lose 110 time in opening the new road so many times advocated. I am, &c, A Traveller.