LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 838, 26 March 1867, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents, Sin,—-Allow me to call your attention to an article in the Canterbury Press of 14th March, which illustrates the immense benefit which Christchurch has derived from the happy discovery which led to the boring of artesian wells. Fever appears to have almost disappeared. May not the Napier water have something to do with the numerous cases of low fever in this place? The writer's suggestions as to the supply of water in case of fire are well worthy of attention. If you were to copy the article in extenso, probably you might be benefitinc the community. I am &c, Pro Bono Publico. Napier, March 24, 1867. [We shall at an early period reprint the article referred to.] Sib,—l would draw attention to the efforts that are being put forth by the Government party to get the natives to qualify themselves as voters. The result is clear: the only persons having a sufficient acquaintance with, and influence over, them, are Mr. M'Lean and the government interpreters; and the native voters, without understanding tbe merits of the case, will blindly do as I officialdom tells them. No one who knows [ anything of their character will come to any

) other conclusion. The government part* . will in this way become so powerful — in faci - I may say omnipotent— that they will b< \ able to defy any man or devil to displace I them, and will be in a position to snap theii r fingers afc all white electors, in defiance o: - law or justice. It is to be hoped that elecj tors see the true position they are placing } themselves in by supporting those whom i they have lately delighted to honour. Yours, &c, I An Elector, j Napier, March 23, 1867. J P.S,— That the government have been doing as I state, the next electoral roll will r clearly prove. I Sib. — I hope no time will be lost by our local government in doing something by way of protecting the Eastern Spit from the 1 inroads of the sea. The importance oi 1 protecting this part of the harbour must be 1 apparent to all, and the amount of property at stake demands prompt action, I would take the liberty of cautioning against half measures ; what is done should be done well, to save future expense. With this object in view I would suggest that some of the able engineering talent now in tbe colony should be at once consulted, and invited to inspect the locality. Kennard, Balfour, and many others, are near at hand, and would, I am sure, give their views on the matter with pleasure. My own opinion is that a row of piles should be driven at an angle of about 35 to 40, sloping down towards the sea, and at about 10 yards from low water ; the same to be strongly braced together, and with spurs of piles running landward arid seaward from the said brenstwork. In this way every sea would wash up tbe incline a large amount of said and gravel, which could not return while the spurs seaward prevented the sea sweeping the breastwork clear of silt. We could calculate, in this way, upon nature doing herself most of the work required. The piles should be 40 to *50 feet in length ; of blue gum or similar hardwood ; and of great thickness. If a large ship with bow timber ports were employed, the material could be brought from Hobart Town very cheap, and of the required description. Yours &c, K. Napier, March 21, 1867. Sib, — As the thistle nuisance is causing some uneasiness in the province, and as yet no tangible scheme for their eradication has been brought forward, a few remarks may not be inopportune. Ifc may not be generally known that the same thistle which we have here in such luxuriance is the same that threatened at one time to supplant and destroy the herbage of the vast pampas of South America ; yet such is the case, for a traveller (Sir Francis Head) affirms that he rode for days through nothing but thistles higher than his horse's head, and that they spread so rapidly as to cause the abandonment of villages and cultivated land, and other travellers since have ridden over the same ground and speak of the utter exhaustion of the soil through the repeated crop of thistles; That the evil is here and is spreading fast is evident to all, and that the time has come when something miisfc be done in the shape of a Thistle Act, or there is but little doubt they will have such a hold that the expense of eradication will be more than the actual value of the land, and the result will be that both agriculturists and sheepowners will have to seek fresh fields and pastures new. Apropos of this, Auckland at one time was threatened to be overrun with the same pest, but immediately a most stringent Act was passed in 1857 and amended in 1858, and was found to work well and to hold the pest in abeyance. One of the most approved methods of destroying thistles was to cut them obliquely two or three inches in the ground, turn sod and thistle over, and put a few grains of salt on the bleeding root. I am, &c, Traveller.