Correspondence.

New Zealand Herald, 26 August 1864, Page 4

Correspondence.

*** Our correspondence columns lining impartially open to iill slindos or opinion, it. must lie iuulci>tood Hint we do not identify ourselves with any opinion expressed tlicrcin. To tho Editor of the New Zealand Uekaijj. Srii, —I was glad to see that a correspondent of jours, in your issuo of the lGtli instant, calls attention to tlio apparently forgotten state of tlie Raglan road. Of course the road, under present circumstances, is our mainstay ; but I also assert that it would he of incalculable importance to the military settlements in tho Waipa. The distance from here to To Bore is about 35 miles, sonio 1C miles of which aro already completed. Tin; line of road is a good one, and tho country through which it passes is, for nearly the whole distance, some of the best in the district. The natives are willing to sell, and Kuropeans would be willing tobbur3 r if the road were made. If 50 contract labourers were employed on tlio road for three months, your correspondent, would undertake to drive a cart from here to To Roro easily. A single glance at the map will convince any one that either i<aglan or Ivawhia is the shipping port for both the imports and exports of the Waipa country. When the produce of tho Waipa farmer is once on tho dray, it need not be touched again until it reaches the market at Rnglan; and Raglan, be it remembered, is a port which Sydney and Melbourne vessels are not afraid of. Were the road completed, the expense of carriage would be certainly not more than 30s. per ton. The expense of the present route by steamer would necessitate the farmer's eating all his produce himself, for he certainly could not afford to send it to market. Again, if tho route by the Waikato river is persisted in, tlio Waipa settlers will be forced to pay enormous prices lor their necessary articles of consumption. liven at present., during the rainy season, goods are chipped and transhipped into three ot four different atesimcro before they rottcli their deotiiiatiori

in "Upper "Waipa,.each transhipment, of course, increasing tie expense considerably. Troops forwarded by tlie river from Port Wnikato, too, are five or six days, in the transit, whereas, by going from here, they would be in the "Wuipa in two days. Having located a body of men in the "Waipa,.the Government are bound to give them a road to convey the produce of their "labour to market; and the cheapest, and, as far as I know, the best line, is this from Raglan. The only other one which is worth thinking of is that from Kawhia, and accounts differ as to its practicability. Yours, (Src., A TBATF.Ta.EB IK" SHE DISTRICT. Raglan,-August 24, I.SG4. [The Government, in the roncl which they have commenced at- IWaungafcrwhiri, and which it is their intention to carry on to the furthest European settlement, will give the settlers on the "Waipa and "Wnilato a direct communication with Auckland. As our correspondent very justly remarks, the river accommodation is materially lessened by the necessary transhipment. Ihe Ooveinmeiit saw this, and very wifely commenccd the road, which we trust will connect Alexandra, Cambridge, and Queenstownwith Auckland —the capital of the Northern colony. —Ed. N.Z.H.]

To the Editor of the I(£w Zeat-akd Herald. Shi —The incessant lain of the past week has interfered to a certain degree in the progress of the work at this busy little fpot. Timber and other building materials are fast arming, and the Government have sent a quantity of tools up to be disposed of (o the men at an exceedingly cheap rate, a privilege which is 1 eing prc.-itly Bpprceiatcd, inasmuch as they an*.being bontrht lip most rapidly. So great has "been the efleet of the heavy jains on the "VVaipa that it has risen four feet. Let the Government encourage the men hv placing within their rcacli the means of starting themselves in a fair way oi living, and the "Wnikato fchrme will prove a great success. It is searci'hj enough to place a man upon his ground, with at least n icw pounds, and then tell the man to do his best for himself. This is the very time at which the men require a helping hand. There are very many good men and true amengst them, "who "will he glad" to stick to their land if properly encoufagcd. The submission of the Tauianga rebels has been most welcome news here. It looks like a true heme thrust at the heart's core of the rebellion.—And now, Sir, T revert to a subject which has cast a general feeling of gloom over the entire camp here. It is the manner m which ccrtain rflicers in the Militia have disgraced the servicc, To think that men receiving such handsome pay, and with comparatively so few inducements to extravagance, should have made away with public money to such an extent astounds honest men. No possible palliation can be found sufficient to explain in any way such reckless dishonesty. Hie men here are very anxious about their wives and families, and seem rather in the dark as to when they will he sent up. Of course, at present, with no means of housing them, the thing is impracticable. As soon, however, as they can lun up their little houses it would be advisable to let them have the society of their better halves forthwith. I am, Sir, yours truly, W. J. B. Camp Alexanelra, near Te Eore, '.20th Aug., lfc'64. [1 he Government intention is to pssist as much as possible the early settlement of the Wailato Militia. AYe understand that the us-e of terms, ploughs, and seed will be ail'ordcd to them, and it is only right that scmething of the kind should be done. If properly dene and economically, the remit- will repay the cost to the countiy a bundled told.—Ed. N.Z.H.] .