ROADS IN THE UPPER WAITAKI.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2250, 15 July 1879, Page 2

ROADS IN THE UPPER WAITAKI.

(To th« Editor of tho Nokth Otaoo Tihrh.) Sir, — With a viow of arousing our County Councillors from thoir apparont state of apathy would you kindly insert the following in your columns? If in any county in tho provincial district of Otago good roads should be lookod for it is in tho Waitnki County, where nature in evory way favors thoir construction and maintenance, but during the time that the county system has been in existence can anyone point to its having constructed oven one chain of properly formed road ? And in regard to the attempts at bridge making anyone who lias crossed the Oteirutata may nee that the incom potency there displayed is too ridiculous to comment upon. In travelling on the main road from Duntroon to Omarama it is evident that, were it not tor the natural drainage, tho road would be impassable, and immediately after rain it is always in a deplorable state until nature effects a cure. It is difficult to understand why the people in tho Upper Wuitaki aro rated by tho county, seeing they derive no equivalent henolit. Of course officials and councillors must bo maintained, no mattor how incompetent. Possibly our county members, in thuir poniiy-wito and pound-foolish policy, do not pay sumoiently for tho services of an engineer when required, nor for a competent road inspector, consequently there is nothing done of a permanent character, nor with a view of protecting the roadß from damage, which even a thunder shower often causes on tho miserable patchwork, ironically termed "road construction." Messrs Smith ami Goddard, who desorvedly merit the thanks of the community for their regularity and moderate charges in running thoir conches to And from Duntroon and OmaraiuA, have boon compelled, through the state of the roads, to cease running oxcept once a week. It they now raiso thoir fares, as has been said, CO per cent, above their usual charges, who can blame them ?—? — lam, &c, Waitaki.