CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1192, 7 January 1870, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(to thb editob op the times.) Sib, — Knowing you to be a lover of fair play, and as you are supposed to know everything, can you tell me why the Myross Bush road leading north from the east road is kept in thorough repair, and the Mabel district road via Boslin Bush is entirely neglected ? There is little or.no traffic on the Myross Bush road, and more traffic on the Mabel district road than on any other side road in the province. This road has been badly cut up last winter by the heavy waggons having all to pass on it on account of the impassable state of the road to Woodlands. It is now almost impassable ; the ruts are three feet deep through the gravel. — Yours, &c., Dec. 31st, 1869. Eosslih Bush.

[We have made enquiries into the matter complained of by our correspondent, and find that the same, expenditure has been incurred on account of both roads during the present season. This we must acknowledge to have been far less than the necessities of the Mabel road demanded, seeing that it has been used in an exceptional manner for heavy .traffic. We would direct the attention of the Government to its requirements, feeling convinced that something will be done to improve its condition. — Ed. 8. T.~\

(TO THB BDITOB OP THB TIMES.) Sib, — Tour contemporary of this date publishes a letter, signed " Grass and Gratings," which I consider an unwarranted attack upon the gentlemen in blue. Surely he must at one time have felt the weight of their hands, to his great annoyance, otherwise he has been looking through the gratings on to the grass. ° No, Mr Editor, the above cannot be the. cause? I have it now! Some poor individual, out at elbows, who cannot find the mopusseß to get the accustomed dram wherewith to satisfy his craven- appetite, has received "-tip" from some cow-keeper on a large scale to write, no doubt, what he thinks a stinger of a letter, and has referred the sympathising public to the position of the widow and orphan and their lone crummie. Now, Sir, that cry is too stale. People are not to be gulled by that "bosh." My opinion of "Grass and Gratings" is, that it is an attempt to try and prevent the police from doing their duty by impounding some of the many hundreds of cattle that are dailyparading our streets, to the very great danger of life and property. Now, S'r, just imagine the feelings of an individual who has of an evening been admiring a few choice fruit trees, or an ornamental shrub, the fruits of his own labor, flourishing, when he turns out in the morning to find they have been cropped off by some poor innocent crummie ; or, that her owner can ascertain her whereabouts, the said crummie is provided with a bell, so that, when everything is quiet, she ventures nearer your ' domicile, probably under your bed-room window, where she will serenade you perhaps all night, which you will own is very comfortable. Now, Sir, about twelve months ago you remember a Ijttle child was kicked by a horse in Speystreet, and but for skilful treatment alone would have died. That was sufficient excuse for the impounding of all four-footed animals within the limits of the town. Respecting the police, we cannot say anything about them. The laws are made, and it is their duty to carry them out. The suggestion of " Grass and Gratings " respecting the Ranger was good, only his duty was not properly defined. Now, Sir, I say a Ranger should be appointed to impound all stray cattle, not only in the town, but in the Hundreds, and he should be paid so much per head for every one he impounds. Then, Sir, and not until then, will mothers consider their little ones safe oat of their sight, and those who have taken the trouble to fence their ground, &c, as well as the milkmen who have heavy rents to pay, and are under great expense in conveying that article to town, get justice. "Wlabhas caused the greater portion of our gratings to be destroyed in Dee and otherstreets ? "Why, those ponderous draught horses parading over them at all times of night. Yet, Sir, if you or any one else could show me one single benefit to be derived by letting the town, &c, be j one vast common, then let things remain as they are. I find that the milkmen who herd their cows in town and boundaries water their milk as much as any one else, and sell the article equally dear, consequently the public derives no benefit. I don't care about getting up in the morning and having to turn-to with the shovel and wheelbarrow to clear away the manure from off the grating before my door; so, Sir, if we don't get a, Banger, the sooner we are under municipal laws the better. — I am, <&c, Consumes. Invercargill, January sth, 1870.