CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1983, 6 May 1885, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

ROAD MAINTENANCE, SO TUB' PITOR. Sib—lt does seem surprising to we that in a district like the Wairarapa, .'iviiei's tfeefg jssuch an unlimited supply of la'pitior material f/y. making and that y/f) sjipuld r;oygli', ftujged, aild Jiatjly kept fgadji, Jfore 'jf' 'wis the case on tot of the JTorty Mile Bush i'(sd extonijjiig fvQfi} the Camp Hotel to the end iff Messrs Downcs and Henderßun's railway contract. I am aware that .this ifl in a groat measure owing to the heavy traffic in hauling 'railway material. But tlio li'tiLoiii of niaintaining our metalled roads |.st : sl|p'|jj(itd one/'for how is it possible fpr one roatjiija'i) $> Jk.cep in aji efficient, flfofe nf repair 'pf "w or; eight miles, To lie jsjirp he has occasionally a man to (waist iiini, but the work of patching up tlio road is generally hurried through, and is never dune in a substantial and thorough manner. Rough shingle as large and as round as pannon balls are thrown into the ruts, fijtfjtfefttly Jieypf jiwken at all, and when tljey are,'"are rfaugli fim it iakps a.lgng tjfiie Jjefyre j-Jiey gejfc 'consolitlAfee^d/ ; |n' the meantifiip mj. Ni )]i "g pedestrians, Hinf, il) MfiVfflTO a road in a proper uiato uf fopjr, a different system of management is necessary. The material should bo prepared beforehand, ready to haul out on the road as'soon as the weather breaks. All tlje boulders, and there aro hundreds fhefji laying piled up in the raripus shingle sliMd )}E broken (>p into 2J or 3 fncjC inejralj' one W(1 of which WWld be b'efter tljaii three /arda of ordinary gravel for maintenance mrposes. This could be done at a cost jf say 3s per yard, Tho expense of laulage is the same in either case. lam juite sure that it must be an oversight >n the part of the County Council that Jiey Jjave not done this. In all cases vhere' lirpken n t ies} Is obtainable at a 'easonabje jjjpt jt' opglit 'tp l>e pd in ireferenco fo sjiingle, yvjicie j;l}e traffic is leavy, No doubt" t|io' pxpen.se would be ;reater for the time being, but in the ong run broken metal wouid prove the heaper article of the two. In the matter f metalling new roads, where the laterial used is bouldersor quarried rock, lie specifications should be of a more tringjjjjt character. Were the stone to e broken down t,o ft certain guage,- and leasured before it is spread, in j;l)js way r e would.be sure quantity 1 put on the road,' find 1 a level, regular, ven'jSurface would be the' result- It it' otorigps that this place is generally lirkpi} by pd we have, as I we stated',' rough, Jnijijpy, uneven roads iroughput the Wairarapa. ■ i I am, &?., ; Telford. OOD TEMPLARS AND PUBMOANS V, PROGRESS, Tp THE EDiTOR, Sir—No doubt the 'above heading jy seem paradoxical to a great many, it recent events in the Templar-Publi--0 world warrants the unseemly unity the present occasion. We are, Sir, on 9 eve of another local option; election, d it will rest with the people whether

they will or not,-allow the present lack of hotel accommodation to exist, or, by voting ill favor of it, increase the mueh-to-be-desired convenience for the visitors to our growing' town.■ On the last occasion very little interest was manifested over the eventj the few Good Templars who took the : trouble to vote having it all their own way. On this: occasion theforces of the Abstainers iVill be allied 'to the Publicans' ever-ready army, to do what ? Why, .to grant a monopoly for three years to the '.existing 'Hotel Licenses, to the detriment of the Borough' progress. I may be laughed at in attemptlug to associate . publichouses. v with progress, but anything, that tends to increase the business of the town and advance its prestige, must have the terni "progress" written, after jt,, and I contend that a well-conducted'hotel;' with its necessary accommodation and attendant flow, of business, is very desirable in this town to,supply its gro'wjng wants. There are numerous ; arguments: to be used for und against this important, question, and I trust, §ir,' both sides will be well ventilated in your valuable columns,.. so [ that when the election takes place : all party prejudice and private interests will sink below the surface, and - the votes of one and all be given,.. '7 V :

■ ■ Pro bono Publico, Masterton,'May sth., ;