New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 305, 1 July 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN.

"We mentioned, in a recent number, that a subscription had been, commenced for the purpose? ofrrepairing the road along Lambton Quay. The attempt was made by Mr. Roots, who very laudably exerted himself and obtained subscriptions to the amount of £25. There the, matter rested, and it seemed likely to die away altogether. In the mean time the road was daily becoming worse, and the complaints more general. It was thought by some persons who took; an interest in the matter, that it would be very desirable to make another effort, Mr. Roots' list was rersumed, many additional subscriptions were received, many former ones doubled, and in twenty-four hours the additional sum of £27 :9 : 0 obtained, making a total amount of £52 :9: 0. It has been thought proper, in ibis stage of the pror j

ceedings, to publish the present list of subscribers and explain what has been done, as there is little doubt, when it is known there is a reasonable prospect of carrying out the improvement, and that the subscription is proceeding in earnest, it will become general, and in another week amount to £100 or £150. The Local Government have promised to contribute an equal amount to the sum subscribed by the inhabitant's, and with these funds it is intended to make a good road, with a path for foot passengers, along Lambton Quay to the corner of Willis-street, arid, if possible, continue it as far as the new church. We have taken some interest in the question, and have heard it very freely discussed ; about the necessity of repairing the road there is no difference of opinion, it is in such a wretched state, that all are agreed on this point. The question is, who should repair it ? Several object to subscribe, because they consider the work should be undertaken wholly by the Government. They say that, with the present revenue of this settlement, amounting to about £20,000, although a good deal has lately been expended on the Government Domain, nothing has been done to improve the thoroughfares of the town and promote the convenience of its inhabitants, and that until the public have a voice in, or control over, the public expenditure, they ought not to be called upon to contribute to public improvements. Others, who have lately been at some expense in improving the road to their own houses feel it a tax to be called upon to subscribe towards repairing the beach road ; all think that the carters in the town, who have broken up the road and who will benefit most by the improvement should contribute very liberally, and that the absentees owning land on Lambton Quay should also bear their share of the expense. Without entering into a discussion of the first objection, we may observe that the question seems to be, whether the inhabitants of Wellington will avail themselves of the offer of the Local Government, and by the amount of their subscriptions secure such a sum as to put the Beach into an effectual state of repair, or whether they will allow it to remain as it is. We hope the establishment of Municipal Institutions will mark a new era in the progress of public improvements, but some time must elapse before they come into operation : the present question is felt to be one of pressing necessity, and this seems to be the view taken by those who have subscribed. If this improvement is to be made now, the inhabitants of Wellington must bear their share. As those who have urged the ■ second objection have also subscribed, we need only in passing commend their public spirit, and refer to the excellent road recently made from the Beach at Kumutoto to Wellington Terrace by the persons living in the neighbourhood, as an example worthy of imitation. On the two last objections we shall dwell more in detail. In glancing along the Beach, from the Government Domain to Willis- street, for the convenience of reference, we iuay divide it into three portions. In the first portion,'extending from the street bounding the south side of the Government Domain to the native reserve at Kumutoto, the two first sections, comprising rather more than two* fifths of the frontage, belong to absentees. From the native reserve at Kumutoto to the public reserve on which the Scotch church is. built, the whole extent of frontage to Mr. Duncan's store (nearly the whole of this portion in short) belongs to absentees. Of the two sections immediately south of the native reserve at Kumutoto, as we observed in a former number, the owner 'of the one and the agent of the , other, at the time of selection, respectively pledged themselves that on being allowed to include in these sections the land then laid out as the public road, the owners of these sections would make a road in front of them of the width of fifty feet at their own expense. They have taken the land, but have not made the road. From the Scotch church to Willisstreet, of seven sections four belong to ab-i sentees. The annual rental they derive from this property varies from ten shillings to fif-

teen shillings per foot frontage, and, so far as we can at present ascertain, the absentees do not contribute anything towards this improvement. Whatever is done, will, be paid for by voluntary subscription, or out of the local revenue. The absentees—hard men, gathering where they have not strawed, — will drain the last shilling from the settlement, and allow the settlers to pay for improvements by which their property is benefitted. hope that municipal institutions will administer a corrective to this evil. With reference to the carters we may briefly observe that, as they will benefit more than any other classs by the proposed improvement, the least they can contribute towards repairing the Beach is one week's work for each cart they own, and we are sure they will save more than this -in the wear and tear of one season; while an equal amount in money will be advanced by the Government to their equivalent in labour. A considerable portion erf the amount subj scribed must be expended in carting metal to the road ; but if the carters refuse to contribute, the end may be that the subscribers will determine to make a footpath only, leaving the carters to make the road themselves. But we hope better things, and are glad to point to an example among them, which we trust will be generally followed. I In conclusion we may state, that when, the amount subscribed is deemed sufficient for the purpose, a meeting of- the Subscribers will be called to adopt such measures as will effectually secure the objects they have in view.