MILITARY ROADS.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1670, 19 April 1862, Page 3

MILITARY ROADS.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander. Sir, —The soldiers now employed on the roads between Drury and the Waikato river, left the camp at Otahuhu between the 25th and 28th of December, 1861. They have now been out near four months, during which time they have done an almost incredible length of road, the 65th and 70th regiments have all but finished that portion of the road which was allotted to them. Now, Mr. Editor, I certainly think with the majority of the men, that after they have worked so laboriously for the purpose of gettingin to winter quarters, it is hard Of the authorities keeping us out longer, seeing that it is an impossibility to finish the roads above the Razorback this season, the winter appears to be coming on very fast and the men are getting dispirited and will not work. Some of our camp grounds are pretty well drained, but the camp ground at Beard's Farm although well drained is oue complete swamp (this is Sunday the 13th instant), and the men have to lie upon wet Fern, the blankets being wet through, now Mr. Editor soldiers do not ask for luxuries, but when twelve men and sometimes thirteen are penned up in one of these small tents in wet weather, it really puts one in mind of a certain animal whose predominating feature is wallowing in its mire. I think that if the authorities take it into consideration, and get the men into winter quarters it will have a very salutary effect, in preventing our hospitals from being crowded and a useless expenditure of public money. Hoping these few remarks will find a corner in your valuable paper, I have, &C. A Soldier.