THE CLUTHA NAVIGATION.

To.thrEditor'Of the -PatlY'TimES;- ;•■ ■ Sir,—lri your paper p'f.tiie'l;tli instant I .note, tjio following with respect ton, steamer,-proposed to -run. on the Ulwtiiiv;-•>]{!!":■-*>-T-haV-sbe-ia-'to- run' to the ' Tiiupekajriver twice a wesit; up one day'and down thenext. Alsjo tarun between the'jilolyn'oiix and tbb Ferry,' .Koinp and returning the same day ; 'taking th'oQlitfa' branch que.dny,anti,th.e.Ai<ittni']jranch",t!ie-otlier.>:';' T V Nov. 1, Sir, this.iopks. very well on paper; and,.from' tlie.oiKrifor a. tender to be puS in fprtiie Clutlia- and ■ other steiiniers, it might be supposed the intention of ■ Groverriniont was to forward the trade ofthe-rivcrrbut^ whfn loaked'u'iittu with' a'practieiireye,:ffie jaclienie ig ridiculous. ''No'tend'e'r will; bp given 'in, under., the regulations imposed •' they would'notr lie accepted by, any msrdautile inau, unless at such a rate as to erir. surp. that the bimii pnki by'<Joyerii-nwirt wiild- cover •the working expenses ; -leaving what' iftighfr be gaiue'T by-casual trade'to-pay expenses'of • ferand •'teat .'of ■vessel, aid'ilrterest'&n tlweajiitiit emiilbyeil in"bniiding her. i Perhaps the originators "ot' tiieSe'^sapient plans tt'ijl iofbi'ju us, hQwJ.p.ag,ifc..wiii.. tako'.era hotH branches] of the river ean-ba -innd& navigable;'to-the Furry evetij in. the brauch, near-Mr; Barker's.There is;a-aftiid-spit runs across- the -river; on --wliiolil there is dflen not above two feetAvaierj and there are some ot!ipr places, higher ujp,:equally;sha|low;.' to .Say,' nothing <?f'snaJjsT"' 'I; 1'";'! T ',",'_ ... ■.'■'"'.'' ,'■ ■, '■','■ • The .fjuoa branpji i§ noy? navigable as,far- as. a place, called ihp./fStpctyai'd, I on.,thel, island.' .This piaee, buing ab^ut eiglit'niiit!3 from the' Perry, a fewinonths would clear out the snags as high as the Tuapeka, "apMopen up a- direct-roatlto the'.up'country-andihe ;diggingsJ :■•■ ■" :O ?■■•■■ ■■■.>.•-": ■.:;' -.-•■■;• • •■•• -■) This, therefore, should be"wherer'tlre-. (Jdvemitient money oi aht to be expended. ""A-spryefor wiis "dbwrt at Kaiiajigatato,lay.."pu'f,a.j;oadioffid'townsliip. '.T-htf only traile.here isafe-present-by.- a fe#•■ teams .to the dig.^fn^s ) and^£l».object qf.makina the road i^ to trans'- ■ port'the hrqduce-and goods;-wliich .'now eoine'--Jiere' from. ..Melbourne, and •Dunedin. For-thL? p'ui^ose" £3000.hdve been voted; but, to make the road-as it' .aught to pc donj, through ike; Svyamp,. : wiH. cpst dp.v;: ble:that ipnwiity.as it y.'iU>equire.at least two. feet offascines and djiciie's cut on,.either- side,iofi -sufficient' .width anjl,d.epthjto throw-up,. the earth..'reriuired -tq« form. t'|ia "c"Butr.Q"of...the,,road<.., The communication.< opened up.,to ijL^Tuapaka, all goods. couJU be.takcii up.by Wiiter.yier'e^it a.inucli lo.werji-.ate than.-by .any. teams wliere übrses'of bullucljs are" uijed, coulddo;.. la' fact, ere two months are_over- steameror.no steamer/ t will ba doii'e',*b'y boat?.~"oiie of, eigl^".tons'"is ".iiow ' being coiistruc'ed on'tlni Clurlia iorthe purpose...; .7 Iftnt, fvlr..Editor, does not common sense say that the ;£GOQO about to-be expended oh tins ■ Kaitangata road yvodld have been^be.UcT employed.iv carrying out. the riveri navigation 1- -It-will,- hovveveivba-of sei-vice •in one?pi*»ilit-"tliat ofiassistiug to-druin a goad deal'of "lhe,ja.td,! But' nll-this 'is,- I- am informed, .'private property);: consequently,, the only •benefit the).public ' will derive will be, the being made the milch cow for the benefit of settlors—'and, not inopportunely, for the cowsjhere just now give vei-y little milk, flax pasture ip gelLerar.not.being ver.y^ nutritiaua... LetTus . re^urnjto the'steamer. Let the (loverninent Come 'forward--give the£soo for two years without any restriction:, toany'stciunepthat will "undertake to ply on the river for two years. Lei her trips bp once a week to '.he Tuapeka, and once to- Kaitangata; leave .her the ljernaining tfireo":daj'sclear^to take 6u'tsnags/; tow out vessels, or run anywhere- up;: eitJier river, where swe can pet a freight. '-'Ijoaye tlie r&t'to.timc ; it will ramedy itself; t fer, Svere a" steamer to charg-o." extrajfarps forrfroiglit, an opposition' ohe'wou'ld start,. .without ti-oiibliug theiuselves with Goveminentin anyivay. The boats also, which are ;: now.-coming" into work, wil.lserv.eaa a-check-to keep-the prices.petsteamers at a; moderate-figure. •'■■■■ ; ■ ■; '.• ■ - Rowland's Station,- v ..;-.■ • River Clutha/l-7th Junfc,-1862.- ■ :■--- .^ ■•-• ■ ■ •; i