The Slough of Despond.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3284, 16 August 1889, Page 3

The Slough of Despond.

(To the Editor.) Sir.—Will you spare ino a small space in your valuable columns for tlio following :-I am not going to writo about that slough that John Tfe liunyan speaks about, but it's a slough on the Queen's highway, under the control of the Wairarapa North County Council about a quarter of a rails from the iMauricevillo Kaihvay Station. This bit of road is about two andn half chains long. It is aline small slip tlmt came down at the beginning of tlio lust winter. Then they cleared away the middle of the road to let vehicles pass, leaving the water tables full out to the rut, and so that continued up to tlio present timo and it is almost impossible for a woman to .pass.

After a few hours rain, as the water liable is in the middle of the road, Wfcmales, who have no conveyance to take them, have to take their husband's watertight* and change them at tho railway station. Worse than that there is between twenty and thirty children have to encounter with this mud and sit all day with their wet faet at school. It is shameful and insulting to tho

neighborhood, It is true there is a man on tho road, and he has about I eight to ten miles of road to look j after, and when he gets into this] slough ho is like Bunjan he hardly knows how to get out. Somo time ago I was in company with Mr William Beetham, tho chairman tf the County Council, and was speaking to him about it. He said he would draw the engineer's attention to it, but, sir, 1 have discovered since that his attention is rivotted to the Opalti, making a promenade for tho Mastorton nobility. On Monday last 1 was at the railway station to catch the 7 a.m'. train, and there were five fomales there who had to plunge

through this mud, Thero aro some Y fine lumps of clay that you may step 0l from oue to the other when it is dry, 3 , but when it is wet it is as slippery ns • glass. Your htmiblo servant to nearly coming to grief over it, so there was no chance but to plunge through tho mud. Ou our return at about half-past twelve tbo same day, myself ami tbreo ladies had to -i trespass on the railway line and that J is against the law. Sir, there aro C nearly two hundred ratepayers in this Mauriceville district, and this is how l: i*f they are insulted. Sir, I would like r to Know who represents this district in the County Council. From inquiries made one said it was Mr T. E, Chamberlain, another said ho thought it was the engineer, so I am not surprised to see how the County money is spent on tbo Opaki, where there are good clean roads. Sir, as I foel lam trespassing on your valuable ■ space, I shall lay down my pen for the present.—l am, ic, Justice.