THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1874

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1790, 1 May 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1874

While remarking upon the destruction caused by recent floods ou the West Coast, the Wellington Independent expresses the opinion that it is impossible for the Province of Westland any longer to attempt to maintain the West Coast and Canterbury road out of its ordinary revenue. It is pointed out that if ttfe road will not be accepted as a Colonial charge, it is clearly for the interest of the Province of Canterbury to contribute most materially towards its maintenance, as it 'has been almost entirely for its interests that the road hitherto has been kept in suitable repair for traffic. Our contemporary says :— " The public work which has suffered most seems to be the Christchurch and Hokitika road — the trunk lino of communication between the east and west coasts of the South Island. ♦ Already a survey has been made of the damage done, and the estimate is that to effect simple repairs will cost £5439, but the recommendation is that, in consequence of the liability of the injured parts to again be interfered with by the floods, there should be certain deviations of the line of road. To carry these out will, it is said, involve an expenditure of over £10,000, and that is a sum which certainly cannot be made an exclusively local charge. It is beyond doubt, at any rate, that the Province of Westland is not in a position to bear suoh a burden, nor does it seem fair that it should be called upon to do "so. If the road has been of service to any one part of the Colony more than others, that part is the Province of Canterbury, and if Canterbury desires to maintain its trade with the We3t Coast it is only, or chiefly, by renewiug the highway that that can be done. There are two alternatives for the western districts— to depend upon the Amuri or upon Wanganui for its stock supplies, and that might be done without any serious cost to the population, but, with a road such as that which exists, it would be impolitic for Canterbury to refrain from assisting, and assisting largely, in its reconstruction. Its maintenance in a condition fit for traffic, apart from the consequence of exceptional disasters like the present, is already, and fairly, accepted as a Colonial charge ; but it is directly the interest of Canterbury to maintain the road as one of the great outlets of the Province, and it can scarcely be supposed that tho Provincial authorities will fail to recognise their responsibility regarding it."