ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 605, 31 January 1852, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the New Zealander.

Sir, — The Burgesses have now before them the Report of the Sub-Committee on the roads and thoroughfares of the tovn— twin sister in unfairness and. exaggeration to its predecessor, although evidently written by a much more bungling hand. To ascertain the average cost per milfl of the town streets, the Committee take the cost per mile of the three most expensive streets in .Auckland — streets which have been rendered more than usually expensive from the very considerable amount of excavation required to make them practicable, — from these they strike an average, and then declare that ' the average cost per mile of j£lBoo of all the town streets given by the Superintendent of Public Works for the information of the Committee must be wrong, because the cost of these three streets gives an average of £3266. The Committee overlook the fact that there are other metalled streets within the limits of the town which must have been much less expensive to construct ; and had the cost of these streets been included, the average of the Committee would in all probability have been reduced to that of the Superintendent. Such a course as this would not have suited the purpose of the Committee ; it would have been fair, no doubt, but it would not have afforded the opportunity of a {hit at the Government or a sneer at an official. Again, we are told that, from a puhlished return, Princes-street has been formed 90 feet wide, metalled 60 feet wide, and that the total cost, exclusive of the curb, has been £622. Such a statement as this is surely sufficiently plain ; but the Committee, in the face of this return, state that the expense of this street must have been £1021 10s. 7d. They tell us that the sido paths have been " formed and metalled by the same sort of labour," and must of course have cost £311 in addition ; but the cost given in the return is clearly the total cost of the street for its whole length and width. Everybody knows that the side paths have not been metalled at all, nor, till within the last two or three months, even so much as favoured with a thin coat of gravel, which could not hare cost more than or £15. Can the Committee be as ignorant of the expense of gravelling a path as they seem to be of the proper method of striking au average? — or were they in n merry mood, and had a mind to poke a little fun at the Council, when they told them that the expense of gravelling the footpaths of Princes-street must have been £311 ? — for, if they meant anything, that is what they must have meant. After such ridiculous statements as these, the Burgesses can place no confidence in the estimates given by the Committee of the work which they recommend to be performed. The only course for the 4 Mayor to adopt with such a report ns this is to send it back-to the Committee, until it can be brought np free from pal • pable absurdities and outrageous estimates. — I am, &u., A Burgess/ • Auckland, January 29, 1852.

" The Anadir is no doubt a remarkably fine vessel, and we dart say her accommodations ate all that can be dciired." Southern Cross, 30th January, 185V. " It is ill talking between a full man and a failing." Scotch Provet o.

To the Editor of the New Zlalandkh. Sir,— l felt very much concerned, on my nttention Leing directed to the Southern C?oss of this morning:, to find some ungracious comments, in which Captain Swift, of the Anadir, is voiy ill-requited for the kind offices he rendered our town s-folks during- the Regatta in commemoration of the foundation of our Colony, on Thursday. I was the more surprised too, having- previously heard the Captain's kindness and courtesy on the occasion everywhere spoken of. I am gratified to learn that there is hut one feeling pervading the minds of the community on the subject of this attack, and T trust some steps may be taken to assure Captain Swift of the universal sorrow that is felt that there should be even one found in our community §0 devoid of good taste, and a sense of the treatment due to stranger visitors of his class, (whose duties often preclude them for long periods from mingling on such occasions with their own or other countrymen in harbour), as to be guilty of such unprovoked abusivenes*. However we may feel it unnecessary to shield one another here from the personalities of a paper, the character of which is so well known among us, we really ought to interpose to protect strangers who may, however unconsciously (it may be from some little oversight or neglect of what may be deemed to J appertain to editorial perquisites Bnd privileges) ofl'end any one of the Cross confederacy. This is only one of the very many cases, in political and other matters, in which the Cross has exhibited intense bitterness, where there were no real grounds for complaint. The Captain placed his ship, decorated with eveiy flag he possessed, entirely in the hands of the Regatta committee for the day ; as soon as the Judge or Umpire stepped on board he should have ran up his flag — a British Ensign or any other he pleased — had he done so, and the Captain objected, it would have been time enough to complain. Tf the author of the very objectionable strictures in the Cross was not aware of the circumstances, he should liavehesitated until he was better informed before he hazarded an accusation against one whom we have proved to-be a very friendly citizen of a friendly nation. But, Sir, I shrewdly guess that had there been an opportunity afforded this gentleman of a closer inspection of the Flag-ship than could be obtained from Britomart Point, this morning's gall might have been turned into honey, and the " stars and stripes" as -loudly applauded now, as ever " Mrs. Martin" or the " Black Cuffis" were of yore. Yours, very truly, Aquatic.