THE DUNEDIN AND PORT CHALMERS ROAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 126, 11 April 1862, Page 5

THE DUNEDIN AND PORT CHALMERS ROAD.

PUBLIC 3IEKTING AT TORT CHALMERS. On Wednesday evening a public meeting was held at Port Chalmers for the purpose of hearing and considering the report of the deputation recently r.p-

pointed to wait upon his honor the Superintendent, with reference to the subject of the Duuedin and Port Chalmers road. Mr Wright, who was called to the chair, having read a note from Mr. Taylor, apologising for his un-avoida-ble absence, Mr. M'Derinid, as one of the deputation, stated that on waiting upon his Honor, they met with a very cordial reception, but he was not sure that they had got such a satisfactory reply as they could have wished. His Honor quite agreed with them as to the necessity of such a road as was proposed, and admitted that he one c stuck in the mud himself, and found it to be far from a comfortable position. But the great question of money came into play. There was no money, he thought. It wa-s suggested to him that he was indemnified for any amount that might be expended, and he admitted the fact. At the same time, he thought it was so near themeeling of Council that he thought it would be bettter to wait until then. It was a question of time, and he would put a sum on the estimates, but what that sum would be he did notstate. He (.Mr. M'Bermid) gathered from sr-u;e of his staleniertK, however, that the sum would not be adequate for the purpose contemplated, and he thought this meeting was necessary, so as to hear what reply the deputation had received, and to take steps necrrding to their rclimate of its character. His own opinion was, that unless they continued to pvcfecute this object, and acted like men determined to have ihfct object carried cut. it would never be accomplished. As to the question of money, he thought theie were some palpable facts which sufficiently explained why there were no available funds, and which lnnde it" necessary for them to look after more than their reads. They would require to watch the public mmc, (Hear, hear). The very sum necessary! to finish this read—£3,ooo—had just been taken up by a certain sheep owner. According to the statement in the papois, he had " agreed " to_ take it* \V it h such a Iran faction before t hem itwascertainly most

necessary for them to be careful iv the appointment of there whom they put into situations of trust. He 1 wts quite convinced, at least, that the men's who were members for the Western Districth were not at all the nitn who ehculd occupy that 1 petition. (Hear, hear.) The public interest was iuf.de subordinate to that of runholders whoie sheep went over their reads, and who agreed to take the money which the public wculd only too willingly accept if they' were but allowed the opportunity of agreeing to do so. At tl.eir interview with the Superintendent, Mr. Thcmpseui who was present, was overcome wilh the contemplation of the large amount they asked. The reason was, that at that very time, Mr. John Cargill had agreed to ttike exactly the sum they wanted. If they hr.d had the power to accept the tame ofler, they wculd toon have agreed to do so, and have put the money to a far better use. He was not prepared with a motion on the subject, but undei all the circun^tances he really thought it would be necestary for them to form themselves into something like a political association to watch over their own interests. ' So long as parties came and agreed to take £3000 and £5000, they stood a bad chance of ever getting roads or anything else, (Hear, henr.)

The Chairman, while recommending that a definite proposition should be made by some one present, be-.-f fd time for .i single remark or two which though not crming pivpurly from the Chair, might throw a iitle light on the I'lerits of the obj.-ets they had in dew. Itmav buthoimht now huh t;me that the inhabitants of Port Uhaluiors and the district should 8t asHe their little political dillercnces. and exhibit more unity of action than ever in working for the common good, without which they would lievei accomplish their object. This road, he believed, to be, in importance, second to none in the Province. In reference to one item of the probable traffic it would create —the timber which would be sent out of the Sawyer's Bay District—he hnd made some calculations the other day, and at the lowest estimate lie conceived that some 60,0C0 feet of timber would be transported from that district every month. That, at a reasonable value, would amount to £4800 worth oi timber in the space of six months. In the meantime, from the want of this road, merchants were sending th(-ir money away to other parts, thus incurring- a double loss to the province, whereas were the road opemd up, the money would 1m retained in the country: the resources" of considerable districts would tie developed ; the extent of land at the disposal of Government would he increased, and employment would be afforded in the winter to themany willing men who.-c labor could be obtained. (Hear, hear.) If this money was to go out of the country let it he sent for emigrants from home; and the very sum he had named would bring- out. about 300 of an increase to its population, and to the moans of developing; its resources. (Hear, hear.) With the addition of similar statistics as to the stock and timber traffic of the district, he urged the continuance, without loss of time, of the representations they had already made. Mr. Miller asked Mr. M'Derroid if he could throw any light on the grounds lor compensation to Mr. John Ciirgil). Mr. M "Dermid said he must confess it was a matter that was all darkness to him. Mr. Cargill had held bis run for three years, and he was confident had not expended £200 altogether, and yet he was compensated to the extent of £3000. There was certainh something wrong in high quarters when such an allowance could be made, if there had been any understanding he could only say that- he was assured, both before he left Glasgow and after he arrived at Port Chalmers, that this read was the first to be made. Was there nothing here in the shape of an understanding'? He conceived there was, and the settlers in this district had laiel out ten times the amount expended by Mr. John Cargill. In his case it was all gain, and no loss ; yet, according to the papers, he had "agreed" to take this compensation, as if he were to bo ruined by taking it. If such were to be the course of proceeding, while they were told, on bringing forward their claim, that there was no money, it would be necessary for them to look into it —they must look after the public till. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Miller said, if the road were opened as at present constructed, it would within a. month be worse than the old one, so completely unfit was it to bear the cattle and other traffic which it would have to stand.PNothing would do but such a road as they had at the ether end in the North East Valley, and the extra expense required would not be so very great. He recommended that, not until this widening of the road were completed should it be opened at all. They had put up with it for ten years, and might do so for another twelvemonth without greater inconvenience, were they assured of having it then thoroughly made. If they were inclined to push matters to extremities, it was within their power, according to the Ordinance, to s.lmt the port altogether against the landing of cattle, and it would then^oon bo seen -whether or not they would get the £3000. Mr. M'Cermid said, according to his information, there were to bo posts put up along the road, so that nothing but horses could pass. He considered it would be equally advisable to cover it with glass, for it certainly reqiiii edit. He agreed with Mr. Miller that until a cart, coulcl pass over it, it would be recomiiiendable to keep it shut against all traffic. (Hear, hear). Mr. Simpson dissented from such recommendations as those of dosing the port or the read. The Government had made oi:e of those gross mistakes of which Governments were always, guilty, but it would bean equal mistake to try to make a right out of two wrontrs. What they must insist upon was, that they should, not any longer be put off fic-ju day to day, but put their shoulders: to the wheels of the Government slow coach,, remove it from the muddy track in which it became hard aid -fast, and make it tiavel with prov.er speed. As they had f:eeu in Victoria, they must bring the influence"of-the Opposition benches to bear upon them. As the Chairman had said, if the woik of opening this road, as they proposed, wereto be now carried on, it would have, the effect of retaining in the conntry many men who were now daily leaving it; and we should not have, as we had now, three or four ships going away at a time laden with men whese labor was,, by their departure, lost perhaps, for ever to the Province. He advocated unity of purpose and activity, if they wanted to achieve their object. Mr. IJuke and other speakers followed, and ultimately a committee of twelve was formed to watch over the interests of the district, particularly in the matter of roads. The remarks of the last speakers we are obliged to exclude until our next issue.