ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 216, 29 August 1862, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

ROUTES TO THE DUNSTAN. {To the Editor of the Daily Times.)

Sir,—Permit me to offer a few observations on a subject which is at present engrossing the public attention, viz.— The road to the Hartley Digd n »s That by Waikouaiti has been longer in use "imd is consequently better known ; the great objections are the snipping, some steep pinches in Shag- Vnllcv and the great distance. ■" The second line by West Taieri, Healey's, Campbells riiomson'a ie, is also circuitous, find objectionable from tha great extentofhighandswamnv r luges ti a versed. ' -

A third route,-1 have not seen mentioned, that by the West Imeri, Waipori, &i far as the ridge above (lannei a Gully, anu continuing along the ridge to the south of the Waipori, passing Gardiner's ■ Nation, keeping Mnlcrs track, and afterwards Mu-ravJ ami Murray's heading tue Tima where there is a eood leading ridge to the mouth of the Teviot, where foot passengers and pack horses may cross when tit*- riv-r is low, but. the country on tlie otter side i° not 'vet passable for drays. There is a erasing about 12 miles from t.ie mouth ofthe Teviot, by the back or north of Pnuelhugh whsre the ridges are low, and accessing for dray*.

A fourth line, and also passable for drays, is on tbe south side of tlie Molyneux, by Popotunoa, CmtahMackenzie's, by Uhalmer'.s station to Moa Fiat wii'-re the Molyneux would be crossed by a punt above thjunction ot the Teviot whcie a road could b- rot crossing: the runs leased by Captain Baldwin by iJ-mv's to the Manuherikia Valley. 1 wouli also mention a fifth rout-which parlies in Dunediu would do well to consider, that by Invert ir gill by the Waimea Plain, Five Rivers' Plain by Kogrsto Wakatip, which I believe-would adord access to the head of the new diggings These lines might be male passable at a trifling expeiue, batshouul the Government conteniplue a road to the diggings and Upper Molyneux distries. it is my belief that a good road might be formed up the Molyneux at less expense than is Ken.rilly irnagin L bvom Dunedin by the Woolshed to Waita.ar.a (down the valb-y to the let ■of the Round ai h crossing the river by the bridge, and by short roa .to Tuapeka Jmi.vb.j, ijabriel's Gully, following . wn the Tuajieka and crossing ridge at'th: lowest' nart to foot of Monroe's Gully, passing Bow .-r's statim and continuing up that branch of the T-iapeka to wh-rs-there is a low saddle, where-a sp-ir leads to the mouth of the Bailment ; continue v . the Molyneux about a mile, when tl.e Imik-s bcomc preci»"-itous where the river must be crossed by a punt. A road could be formed without any great"d:ili.;ulty up jm ,t Moa Flat, where the rivi-r would be e-cro.-^-d by v sneond punt, and on by Baldwin's ani Lowt .4 to "the Manuherikia.

This line would require four bridges, and there are no streams of any magnitude on tbe south side of the river, while those upon the north si io are avoided i>v this line, tbe saving on which would about build the two punts required, besides openin^-up the country on both sides of the Molyneux. the ManuueriUw Valley, and all the upper .. district a of the country ; and would be accessible at all seasons ; never attaining an altitude beyond, I should s.\yßX> feef, umil it reached Baldwin's, where it would not necessarily be high. The advantages of this road to Otago require no comment. With an apology for trespassing so for upon your Bpace, I am, kc, Tnos. Mcrkay. Mount Stewart, August 27, 18*J2.