Original Correspondence.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12, 28 November 1861, Page 2

Original Correspondence.

I To the] Editor of the Otago Daily Times. [Sir, —Having been for the last three months waiting very patiently from*, week •to week expecting to! see advertisements Calling for a new or extended wharf, but have only seen in your last issue Tenders for about 200,000 feet of V.D.L. timber, to be landed near the gaol in all February. I am not aware the said timber is for to make a wharf, but taking it for granted, it would be three months before the timber is landed, and at least three months before the wharf would be fit for use-j which would be six months more of the present most shameful system of discharging and loading goods, With the prospect of the trade doubling itself during the aforesaid time, and instead of lighters having their cargoes on board for ten and fourteen days, as at present, merchants and lightermen will* in all probability, have the pleasure of leaving their cargoes on board double or treble the time. But now I come to the point, —that I wish to show,1 in my humble opinion, the public, and more especially the powers that be, the quickest and cheapest way of remedying the present difficulty.

About the first half of the present jetty is 24 feet 9 inches in breadth ; the second half, including the present extension, is 20 feet 9 inches. The breadth of the broadest horse dray is 7 feet' So that on the narrowest part, with two drays passing one another, with one foot between them, there would still be upwards of .2^ feet outside of each, which in the opinion of one of the most experienced carters in Dunedin would be sufficient. He likewise states that he could turn any one of his horses in drays on the jetty as it is for width. Another stated to me that the only danger there would be was in turning,—that on a horse seeing the water right a-head of it, it would be apt to back right over the opposite side into the water, which could be provided against by having something in two or three places on the edge of the wharf sufficient to prevent a dray backing over.

Lyttelton wharf is, I believe, considerably narrower than 20 feet, it only having a broad place at the end for drays to turn, where all the goods are taken away from the ship by drays.

I may. also add that the original, or about onefourth of the extent of the present Jetty, would require the planking and bearers to be lifted entirely, and renewed. The piles would, I believe, be almost, without exception, perfectly good and fit to be covered again, and this could also be done without interfering with the long line of rails.

All that would be necessary would be to cross plank the whole wharf over in addition to what is now upon it (after the old piece would be renewed as I have already suggested), which could be done early in the morning and after work hours at night, and to begin at the head of the wharf and only to lift as much of the rails as they could plank at the time ; and thus the work, as regards the long line of rails, would not in the least be stopped. All the foregoing I have no doubt could be done in about three week's time, and if the Government are not willing to give the trade facility, I would most strongly recommend the merchants to ask liberty to do it for themselves, and there is no doubt they would be the gainer before six months are gone.

Hoping that the foregoing suggestions will be shortly carried out, so that what I consider our present national disgrace may be wiped away, and a very great deal of time and money saved, and as much useless labour not be requiied, Believe me to be, yours truly, James Stew^art, Master of schooner Dunedin.