THE KAITANGATA ROAD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 366, 21 February 1863, Page 4

THE KAITANGATA ROAD.

(To the Editor ofthe Daily Times.)

Sir, —The opinions that have beeu lately expressed in your paper respecting the road at present being made between Kaitangata and the. Main South Road are, I think, wrong and most uncalled for. An attenipt has been made to show its inutility,—that it is a waste ot public money, and a pifce of favoritism on the part of.the Superintendent, owing to its passing through lands possessed by one of his relations. The ground is swampy, and, as tli&; ditches which are cut to drain ths road, drain also the adjoining ground, the Government are not "immaculate," and the "whole proceeding is most unfair and unjust. ' The facts, -which will not lie, are as follows: — During last year, a very large, quantityof goods were landed on the banks of the Molyneux river, at a place called the. Balloon.: Ibis spot is but a «hort distance from the Government Township of Kaita'ngata, and is a more suitable site fora town, but is unfortunately private property. Hence the reason why the: sections in the former would not sell. 1 hence the goods were taken to the Tuapeka and the other diggings. The great difficulty on the road was the getting through the swamp at present being drained.' It (the road) had to wind round the side of the Molyneux, causing a distance to be traversed of 7 or 8 miles, till it joined the Alain South Road: when the distance in a straight lino (the route of the road in question) will only be about 3£ or 4 miles. In addition to this it was soft and dangerous, especially j in winter-time, and had caused, the loss of several valuable horses. Further, and this seems to me not the least important reason, why the work should be undertaken, a large extent of most unsightly swamp will be drained, adding, as well, to the healthiness of n thickly^.populated -district as to the valae of all surrounding property and the provincial wealth. Ttie idea that the ditches will require to be six feet deep throughout to form a solid road, that there is no j fall and so on,is.absurd, as every qneknows'who has I been at or near the place, and has seen the Clutha running downwards alongside of it to'the sea. ... It may be said, perhaps, that if. the steamer about toply_ on'the river, ruaas far up as the Tuapeka. the road is not neceswry.,'But the steamer, let it be remembered, is not there ;yet, and even-if. it were, a jtorge pmow^ f>f &*?»& WHW always be done fron*

.i«etßalloSfi-.?a-3t|airif wiiy'were- not strenuous efforts made to put a stop to;the road before the contract its making was entered into and - the work begun ? .Indeed,.the assertions seem to have been made with no^objec't butto malign the Government and the unblemished character of its head, a course as mean aud ridiculous'iis anything ban well be, I am, yours, &c, " " Obssryeb. IBth February, 1833.