OUR ROADS.

Southland Times, Issue 613, 2 January 1867, Page 2

OUR ROADS.

(TO THE EDITOB OF THE SOUTHLAND TIMES.) Sib, — I observed in your columns tho other day an article entitled "Our Eoads." The writer speaks of the " objection that deep ditches, would be to the narrow kind of road which he proposes, and which aTe objectionable to any kind; of road." This difficulty may be overcome by adopting the same means that are made use of at Horne — to drain the metalled roads by laying two or threeinch drain pipes, three or four feet deep, on each side of the road. It will be seen by your advertising columns that the drain-pipes can now be obtained, and I think the use of them in the way indicated, together with surface gutters, would be the best means of keeping our claymade roads in a passable condition. I think fascines might also be used as a further means of drainage in the swampy places ; by laying them across the road, and putting plenty of earth upon them, they would be a kind of foundation, into which the water would drain more quickly, from whence it would find its way more surely into the pipes beneath. I merely give this as my view of roadmaking. I think there would be economy in adopting this plan, supposing the roads were metalled afterwards, I think it would save its own cost in helping to maintain the roads. I am, sir, your's, A Db___n_-b. Invercargill, 30th December, 1866.