MARLBOROUGH.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 374, 24 May 1861, Page 3

MARLBOROUGH.

To the Editor of the Colonist: Sir-Will you kindly;give the enclosed letter a place in your next issue. If, was sent to the Marlborough Press for publication, but that ever timid journal, being now completely frightened from its propriety hj the mSd «•»•

interfering Dictator of Marlborough,. refused to iusert it.

A SUBSCRIBER

Wairau, 17th May,

To the Editor of the Martborough Press,

Sir—Now that you have laid asi.U; your neutrality in matters political, aid have virtually bocJine the champion of Mr. Adams's idiosyncrasies, perhaps you may be able to iufoiin me if there is any foundation for the report now in circulation to the effect that the Superintendent has given notice to our Sergeant-Major of Police that his services are no longer required, and if so, on what grounds, or if any official complaint has'been made against-him.

Year readers are fully aware that to differ with the Superintendent in opinion is to incur his displeasure; they are nevertheless unable to comprehend iv what way the Sergeant-Major of Police lias offended. He never used his privilege as an elector either lor or against Mr. Adams, nor has he endeavored to influence others iv their opinions. The prevailing impression i.s, that M'Artney rendered himself objectionable by not answering the questious put to him at the Publican's LrceDsing Meeting, in Smith's case, in such a manner as it was evidently wished they should be answered. It is, however, hard to believe that an officer who has served with credit for thirteen years should have been guilty of such a dentation of duty as to merit his. discharge without the public having heard something about it. ,

I. feel assured the inhabitants of the will regret to lose the services of Mr. M'Artney, wlio lias in the discharge of his duties acquired the esteem and confidence of the public generally, as well as that of his official superiors, with the solitary exception of Mr. William Adams.

MOSES,

Wairau, 24th M y,

lo the Editor of the Colonist.

biß~—ln your paper of the 10th instant I observe in the leading summary the following:—" The accounts of the flood at Blenheim are fully corroborated, it has been more severe than for years previously ; we hear of one house thirteen feet high being submerged to the ridgeboard ! I"

Your informant, if residing in the Wairau, must have intentionally misled you, for the truth is there was no flood at Blenheim, nor water near any house in tbe town except two dwellings built in a low portion of tbe adjoining swamp where the water was a few inches deep, also, in front of Mr. Craig's hotel, there was a pond occasioned by the side drains of the road which have a fall that way, but no outlet—rather a favorite method of road making adopted by our local government. All the town excepting what is mentioned was high and dry, aud thrice as much water could not have flooded it. The thirteen feet high house said to have been submerged to the ridgeboard, must have its foundation in the bottom of the river. It ia needless to say that houses are not built there yet.

Considerable misconception has existed as to Blenheim's liability to be flooded. Being, ia poiut of residence, the ' oldest inhabitant,' perhaps I may be allowed to correot this by stating that, during a residence of tea years, I have never seen the rivers overflow their banks in its vicinity but once, and that was seven years ago, when part of the present town site was then overflown ; but only in some places was there any current, aud nowhere auy uanger, had there been houses there at the time; and this was the highest flood the Maoris or the old whalers had ever seen in the Wairau.

. When it is borne in mind that the rivers uniting at Blenheim are about the width of good canals, and shut in by steep banks, their rising a few feet frequently is not to be thought wonderful or uncommon. Yet such rises are geuerally called ' floods' in the loose way of speaking, whereas freshets, or at worst freshes, would be correct.

The meeting also mentioned by you that was to be held was not for the object stated. It was for the purpose of corsidering whether the Opawa river might not —at its source from the Wairau river, at a point about nine miles from Blenheim—be checked in a considerable degree and so save the crops, &c, of the farmers who suffer from its overflowings at various places on its way. Tbe Wairau river was very high, but it is not near Blenheim. The Taylor and Omaka rivers are those which flood any parts of the town ; but, as already stated, the occurrepce is rare. J. S. Blenheim, May 17th.