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Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1407, 1 June 1865, Page 4

j Me. Browning's discovery of a practicable route from the East to the West of Canterbury has, for the first time, given rise to a genuine belief among the public that the two parts of the province may soon be connected by a road. We are fully alive to the value of a careful scientific survey, and are quite conscious of the danger that attends hasty conclusions in engineering. For that reason we advocate an immediate enquiry. But without waiting for the result of that, we have before us the plain direct statement of the explorer. He tells us that there is no engineering difficulty in the way of making a road by the route he followed. And Mr. Browning is a man to be trusted. Even if the public had not already good reason to give him credit high scientific attainments, the matter and the tone of his very short narrative are such as to beget general confidence in his correctness. We trust the Government will use the best means in their power to do justice to Mr. Browning's discovery ; and in the meantime we shall go on believing that a road may really be opened quickly and cheaply between Christchurch and Hokitika by the Rakaia Pass. It is the means of access to the diggings that we have been instinctively expecting to find. What, then, is the country which begins to come so close to us —as close as Timaru'? The \Yest Coast, till lately, seemed but a narrow strip of beach between precipitous mountains and the sea. But the discovery of gold has led to the discovery also of what the letter of a reliable private informant calls ' a magnificent and extensive track of rich soil, well fitted for agriculture.' The extent of the domain thus added to the province is not only gratifying for the new resources which it opens up, but also because it proves how narrow is that strip of unavailable country which divides one part of the territory from the other. The character of the country on the East Coast may be gathered from that ot its rivers. The Hokitika is a stream rather less rapid than those on this coast. It is navigable for eight or ton miles up. and boats have gone up to different points more than fifteen miles from the sea, measured in a straight line. There are few. it any, rivers on this coast of which so much can be said. The country through which rivers ot this character flow, however hidden by bush, cannot be really inaccessible for the colonist. The river itself also, at present, takes orf fifteen miles of the most important parr ot the road. Use can be made of it tor many purposes of conveyance, at least until a proper road is cut. The distance trom tue ie\el on one side of the hills to that on tlic outer is thus reduced to about sixteen tnnes, ana this distance includes a portion on the itself. The one obstacle to be met wit ti ou the whole road is uo greater than has otten been overcome before in Canterbury ami e.>ewhere in New Zealand. The saddle wmch presents itself on ascending the r.ver to source ia about 1,500 feet high. .-U'out -U feet of this height is cut oil by a terrac? at the foot, upon which a road may be ro:'.ui \ taken. Aud further, the saddle itscu. instead of forming an unbroken ridge rising on each side up to the loftier hills. with a depression, or shoulder, on ti><southern side, ilanked by a natural basin, out of which one of the streams issues. 200 feet, or thereabouts, may be takenou tHo height of the saddie, if the road can constructed, as seems most likely, thivugu t..is depression. What remains is in height .tin steepness similar to the Bridle-path on j K Lyttelton side ; but: with plenty ot 01 . an easy sidliug to bo cut from I'" 1 ' " ,U1 | the slope to the other. H remain* 1 determined exactly how the nu . ' 1 carried from the top of the pass to the or wooded saddle; and here, we pre»uaie. i local knowledge of Mr. Browningor hiMon \ nion Sir. Griffiths will be used to aid sional road engineer. As we ha\e >au • accept Mr. Browning's opinion tia engineering difficulty exists on line, aud therefore we see no reason to i <■ that the right road will be easily found. - any rate, it must be a very easy in- 1 1 _ erect a line of telegraph. \V V - at '° ..'lVlur it pared to waste months in thinking l ' and years in carrying it into e ei ■ want a good " bush" lino tor pret-en 1 poses, such as will do iair seruu. ' cost. We presume that the General ment will refuse to consider sue i 1 . part of the trunk system ; and even , were willing, they might, under P lC! \j. t j ie y cumstances, be unable to erect i • ■ will not undertake it, and that ' s b ( .! l . v j nC j a l on a proper system, we advi " e t l °' oue thing Government to do so themsehe*. yt' more seems desirable. Our Land tions do not permit sales to < w o uld anywhere but at Christchuic _ it" not be well, both to .f {or of the goldfields thrown open

— TTobftve all sales of land on the iW conducted at some place or 'thin the district itself? Besolutions of V ]a "TL\\ to be followed by an Act of the the (- » 'embly, would effect this object months. Andif without offence to L r ,uncnt,weraay make anothersugfresth kvour of our fellow-settlors m tho "Vis that they should move for Hold(St < ' bo brought Within a Supremo Court tika t Without it, property is not sulUprotected, and crime goes almost un- '