ROADS.

New Zealander, Volume I, Issue 51, 23 May 1846, Page 3

ROADS.

To the Editor of the Neio Zealander. Sir, — Your remarks iv the last number of the Neiv Zealander, on Inland Communication, must meet with the concurrence of every farmer and settler in the rural districts; for most certainly without roads, all the industry and exertions of the agriculturist are marred by the difficulty of bringing his produce to market. But, sir, this is a more particular grievance in the case of persons who have purchased their farms of the Government, with the implied understanding and expectation of having roads made immediately they went upon them. When the farms in this district — Tamaki— were sold in 1842— 1843— the line of road was never marked out, and persons could only guess at it by the stakes shewing the boundaries of the farms. It was said, that as soon as the farms were sold that the Government would see to the roads, but like all other such assertions and promises, nothing has been done, and some farms are quite inaccessible, for the line, iulended for the road, runs over gullies, swamps, and steep hills, quite impassable at present, for any vehicle ; and the farmers in this neighbourhood would have better access to Auckland, if they were fifty iciles distant from it, on the banks of the Thames. But, sir, the point to which I wish to draw the attention of the public, through the medium of your columns, is the indifference and neglect with which respectful applications for redress of grievances are treated by the Survey Department with respect to roads ; and I beg to relate the following tacts and circumstances, respecting the farms on the western bank of lhe Tamaki. After passing the Tamaki Church, the road to the lower farms diverges at Mr. Church's— one branch proceeding eastward to the sea beach; — the other going more southerly down to the river Tamaki. The intention of these two roads to the beach, I suppose, was that the farmers near should have the accommodation of water conveyance to and from Auckland; but, at present, any access by either of these intended roads, — to the sea beach at Wakamahu, or to the shore of the Tamaki at Sand-spit Point, — is perfectly impracticable. The only road to the sea beach, in the whole district, is a. private one made by Major Bunbury through Ins farm, and, of course, it is only by suffet ance that the neighbouring farmer can pass through. On the road that proceeds to the Tamaki shore, some little work was done under the j superintendence of Captaiu Rough, when at the bead of Public Works ; but like many oiher undertakings by the Government, it ceased on account of the poverty ol the Colonial Treasury. Since that time, tne inconvenience to the farmers in that part of the district was so great, fiom their distance by land from Auckland, that they presented a memorial to the Government, through the Sur-veyor-General, pointing out the grievance, and how easily and inexpensively it might be remedied, if the original line was altered for a short distance, and directed to a terminus on the high fern land on Sandspit Point, where a most convenient, accessible landiug-place could be obtained. Of this application, no oilier notice was taken, than a mere verbal

message from the Surveyor-General, that he would ride down and look at the place. Weeks and weeks have passed away, but such visit has never been made. However, sir, as you justly observe, if European labor is now so scarce and high, as to be an excuse for not making- roads, why not resort to native labour ? With a gang of twenty or thirty natives, under the direction of a good surveyor, much could be done on the roads, in levelling and cutting ditches, &c. ; and the small improvements we require in this neighbourhood, could be very soon made, at very small cost, with such labor. But alas, sir, 1 have very little hopes of such good. Government have obtained the money for the land ; — the Surveyor-Geneial pockets very quietly, his salary ol £630 per annum — the largest salary in the colony after the Governor and the Judge ; — while the poor farmer who is laxed to pay the latter, besides giving an exorbitant price for his land, is treated with indifference, neglect, and injustice. I am, Sir, &c, KUSTICUS. Tamaki, May 18th, 1846. [We are well acquainted with this district, andjean bear testimony to the absurd, ridiculous and impracticable lines intended for roads. Instead af carefully surveying the country, in the first instance, for the purpose of marking out the best lines for roads, and then laying out farms ; — the latter were traced on the map to the exact extentof one hundred acres each, and the line of roau subsequently marked, subservient to such boundaries. Hence the angles, gullies ; and acclivities that obstruct the f<mner and. the traveller. — Ed.]