LIVINGSTONE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1294, 31 May 1880, Page 2

LIVINGSTONE.

(FROM A CORKESEOIfDENT.) May 29. On Monday evening steady rain set in, and continued without intermission all day on Tuesday, resulting in a flood of considerable magnitude in the river, greater, indeed, than we have had for years, which ended in the loss of the addition to the foot-bridge (erected by the County Council) across the Maerewhenua below Livingstone. I notice in the report of the opening of a bridge in a neighboring county that Mr. Vincent Pyke is said to have pointed to the structure in the opening of which he was taking a part, and compared it with a sort of make-shift foot-bridge near by erected under the auspices of the Provincial Government, drawing therefrom a comparison highly favorable to the county system as better fitted to open • up the country and make good roads and substantial bridges. On reading the aboye, I thought if Mr. Pyke saw our little bridge he would preach a very different sermon from the same text, viz., " the past and the present" in the matter of roads and bridges; for whilst that portion which was erected by the late Provincial Government has with* stood the flood, that erected by the County is washed away; and, to those who have walked across it, it is no wonder, for a tinore trumpery affair to be called a bridge I never walked on, barring the impromtu ladder or plank temporarily thrown over a torrent by residents on its banjcs, The extent to which it vibrated when a person was walking overit wasquite sufficient to alarm a timid person. It was, in fact, a disgrace to all who had to do with its construction. .Ji hope County funds will not £igaii} be wasted by such trashy work. T observe the fence at the foot of Long Gully complained of some time ago has been extended, and a very good job made of it so far as it goes. But here, again, is the cheese-paring policy apparent. Another pound qr so would have secured

the dangerous h.alea'rc-Eerred to in a former letter. JE ■ preaume the - Council thought they were doing this work for the miners, whilst in : reality it is in the Awa"moko riding. One of our miners met with an accident on Monday from a fall of earth, though not, I am happy to say, of a serious character.

Apropos of the election, there is a suspicion that a deeply laid scheme is being elaborated to secure the return of Mr. Reid, and lessen the number of Liberal members in the House. I trust that this little iniquity, if it exists, will be defeated. The signs of the times are certainly very favorable to such a desideratum.