ROAD TO THE DUNSTAN via WAIKOUATI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 285, 18 November 1862, Page 5

ROAD TO THE DUNSTAN via WAIKOUATI.

(To the. Editor of the Da ly Times.) Sir, I take the liberty of addressing jou on a sulj ct that in ray humble opiiion i/.terests'the.co m - mu<.ity at laigp, the we'fiire ofti.eProvh.ee, and more especially the merchants and tra les-mop.- , f Punedn, viz —the present state of the ma n road to the Dunetan, via Waikc uaiti. Having ti avelled the distance 1 can s;,fdy say that unless something is done this summer, the eouimunicat on in winter will be a most *\xp»>» sive ami hazardous uudtitaking for carriers will not expose themselves ar-cl their teams through the winter season on the bid roads unless they jit enormous rates of cartage, to enable them to (Pra wages, fe d their horses, & c . This will aii.-e in a g>eat measure from a want oi iora^e »n theios-.d; in fact, cultivalion not exteudiig farther than say fuur miles from Waikouati; ano th«t to a limited extent, in comparison t<» the cor-tuiuption rendeisgir-y a sertion c.-.rrect, consequently wmtei-' time otie-hiilf of their loads will consist of feed, leiving the other haii for wages and for wear and tear • and in the f*ce of this they wiil not be able to take heavy loads. .Now, Mr i-ditor, unbss something is done, tlicg !ug!i rate of cartage wi.l cause hi<^h rat s provisions; the mining population will ue-ci-ssanly ft el it—a sharp tlin-ate proriures a sliarp appetite- consequent iy they are large consumers j «nd unless they gee a tar sharo of fioid, they cannot hold out s.yau at the heavy expenses of living. In such cases the population gradually becomes less, th<re being so 1 tile employment in the Pivmii. c to take up a surplus of labor, they graduully, leave the colony which atte ts the s oiekeepeis, ir erchants, and the revenue, in Jact, Ultimate y eivates a perfect stagnation in business, and in many cases leads to insolvencies; l«.r uuless there is a lu.'nirg or laboring popuhuion to support tha mercantile uud trading con in unity, ihey nmst suffer. Thence the necessity of improving the roads, to place provisi m< within re: eh of the miners, at a reasonable raie during the pint r se.snn. mid keep them m the country for the wellare of the Province. I further trespass on your sy ace, hy stating the localities that are exceetiinely bad in winter time, and tugi.t to fce-attniiled to ; first, between the' fences ju^t out of rt aikoua ti; t! c flax swamp, three miles out • two iad ere. ks rear Palmerston, irom Coal C.etk to the liigh land, beyond the steep hill, is very bad in many places ;^here aie a good many small creeks higher up thUlire also very bad, and require I further take the liberty of stating that no time mould bo be kst in getting on with Mich importatif work?, fo that the summei's traffic would consolidate the tta-mat ons, and harden them for the winter; nl*o, B rom tJie iact of there being a lar«e amount of labor at present available in the Province, Hopinjf the eiew remaiks will be the means oi you and otiers interesting themselves in such an important matter. I remain, Yours respectfully. S. P.