Correspondence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 395, 30 September 1874, Page 3

Correspondence.

THE CLYDE BRIDGE, AND OUR CLYDE CORRESPONDENT. {To the Editor.) Sib, — Your Dunstan correspondent, In referring to the proposed diversion of the road from Butchers Gully to Clyde, is not very ingenuous. To a person unacquainted with the district it would appear that the road via Tuapeka is the only route hetween Dunedin and Clyde, while the fact is that there are already two other direct roads to Clyde, neither of which pass through Alexandra, and neither of which require to be bridged across the Molyneux, in order to reach the great central city of Clyde. Your correspondent also slightly stretches the distance that would be saved by avoiding Alexandra. The proposed diversion would strike off from the main road at Neiper's, about fomuand a half miles from Alexandra, and by taking a direct line across the ranges, at an expense of thousands of pounds, would save a distance of about two miles; while by taking the only practicable route — on which a small sum is being at present expended — the distance saved at the outside would not exceed a mile. lam quite willing to admit that when the interests of a large and populous township are at stake, it would be justifiable to ignore the claims of a small Tillage, and to carry a direct road to the centre of population at whatever cost, and I think when Clyde makes a claim of tnxs kind its is quite legitimate to challenge its pretensions, and enquire whether by its population or resources it is entitled to the sacrifice of its neighbours. The natural resources of Clyde consist of a police camp, a gaol, a warden's court and district court, and from the consequent expenditure in connection with these institutions the inhabitants appear to derive a poor, but doubtless honest, livelihood. Sometimes business gets rather dull with them, and the inhabitants counsel together and say, "We must develope our resourses," but every one cognisant of the past history of that interesting city, is aware that the only idea ever broached' on these occasions, is that the Government should expend more money on theplace] "At one -time it is gravely proposed^to mate Clyde_ a jport.of entry, so that foods could be sent up in bond and benecently distributed to the rest of the upcountry districts. At another it is stajted that the salvation of the district depends on the 'erection of a gaol at Clyde ; or on Clyde being declared a place in which to hold sittings of the Supreme Court ; or else it is absolutely necessary for its existence that a lunatic asylum should be built, or an immigrants barracks,sor anything that would cause an expenditure of public money in the town! in fact to such an extent do they carry I their begging propensities that it would be a fitting termination to the career of that impecuniouß township, if it were to be walked round and placards posted outside of it bearing the ancient legend " Supported by public contributions." It is true that Clyde figures very well in'the escort returns, and it has long been a matter of surprise to the uninitiated, where the. gold came from. Illnatured people say that the gold was purchased in other districts and sent down as the produce of Clyde in order to conduce to thejgreaterglory of that township, and this statement receives some corroboration from the fact that since some changes have taken place on the staff of a certain banking institution the escort returns from Clyde have been "nil." Doubtless the enormous amount of gold that ha^ been collecting during the last three months, and which will probably be sent down in tbe next escort, will tend to dissipate this idea. There are only two sides to the question. Roads should either be formed bo as to tap the different

centres of population, or else Bhould be carried' as straight as possible between two given points. In the hrst case, as the road via Tuapeka is the only road from Dunedin that passes through Alexandra, th« inhabitants have a right to demand that the road Bhould maintain its present course and that their .township should not be sacrificed in order to bolster up another township, which, to say thd'ieast, is not superior to Alexandra.. In the other case, if it is necessary that the road should be carried up direct on the west side of the Clutha, why should it be diverted across that river by means of an expensive bridge merely for the purpose of passing through Clyde, when the Clutha has to be again crossed in order to reach Cromwell ? If the Clyde people are so disinterested in the matter, why not advocate the formation of the road entirely on the west bank of the Clutha, so that there would be only one bridge to maintain between the Teviofc and Cromwell, viz., across the K.awarau. Cromwell is undoubtedly the chief town of the. Dunstan district, and from its position as the'eentre of the district containing such immense natural resources, is so superior to Clyde that it would be an insult to common sense to draw a comparison between them, and lam sure when this view of the question occurs to the' Clyde people, their well known patriotism will at once induce thereto confess that it is not consistent with the public interest that the public should be put to the expense of building a bridge merely for the purpose of making a detour in the road in order to pass through their township, to the inconvenience and loss of time of the whole of the up-country residents. It appears that Clyde is getting desperate and intends to play, the part of Mr Vogel's blue-gum "a tree- so ravenous and ferocious that no other tree can live near it," but although it must be admitted that it is the duty of every true patriot to get all the public money expended in his district that he can, still Clyde should remember the adage " honour among theives," and not commence to prey on its neighbours. I must confess the question is surrounded with difficulties, it is absolutely necessary that Clyde should develope its resources, but on the .other hand if that process is likely to absord so many thousand' pounds of the public revenue it becomes a matter for the serious consideration of the Government whether it would not be advisable to expend the money in the purchase of the township, and so enable the inhabitants to remove to some other place where they could develope their resources without the necessity for so much extraneous aid. — I am, &c, Asmodeus. Alexandra, September 25th.