THE COLONIST NELSON, TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1861.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 355, 19 March 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST NELSON, TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1861.

Numerous are the difficulties with which men whose enthusiasm outsteps their knowledge have to contend; and although strong in good intention the members of the Board of Works have almost, from the creation of ■•hat body, been an illustration of the fact. To the casual passer-by no doubt the accumulation of quantities of gravel and shingle in certain spots is possessed of little to influence consideration; and a bridge is simply a bridge, and a culvert a culvert, producing neither more nor less effect than any other similar construction in any other locality. But if he could at once be made to understand the circumstances under which they are developed here the impression made would not perhaps be so commonplace. If he could only consider the vast amount of individual and collective thought—thought not only generated at board meetings, but at somnolent hours also—which must have been employed in the various improvements that our good city subscribes funds for, and most of which will be in the memory of ratepayers, he would no> pass them by without giving them that consideration and acknowledgment which they in general unfortunately merit. In saying this we need not refer tob ygones for an- illustration: the proceedings in the Magistrate's Court last week furnish another instance of a want of—not engineering capability this time, but—merely common foresight to make such terms with the contractor for the Trafalgar-street drain as would obviate the necessity for the expostulations of the inhabitants ai.d the waste of their time in attendance at a judicial inquiry. in consequence of this omission in the contact our principal roadway will be torn up an<J scattered atiioad at the will of the contiactor, to the grt-at hindrance of traffic and possible jeopardy of life or limb. The only'remedy being to loilow the advice of the Resident Magistrate an.l indict the Boaid for a public nuisance; but at so distant a time does the sitting of the Supreme Court occur, that it amounts to no remedy at all. The contractor is not to be blamed for not foreseeing the consequence of a subcontract for the excavation, il his principals thought the point unworthy ol consideration; neither can the sub-con-tractor be expected to lie on his oars to his own cost. The excavator is however at the present time two or three weeks ahead of the bricklayer, and has 'thus far into the bowels of the laud marched on without impediment,' his future progress depending upon his own will rather than the control which should have been instituted by the Board; let us hope that he will use his privilege gently. The case was strongly commented upon by the Resident Magistrate, and some dangerous places on the Beach,-road spoken of, which, unless repaired, would entrap way Carers. We can ourselvesspeak of the neglect of the r. ad ways in the immediate proximity of this office, although, strange to say, the mudflat further off was long since the object of solicitous attention, and roads were made to what may some day become valuable or thickly inhabited acres, but were not then or are they likely to be soon. Here, is asingular proof of foresight os profound that possibly the little omission of the culvert contract should not be criticised, as it only refers to the most frequented street, and simply includes some chance of accident to pedestrians, vehicles, and horsemen by day and night.