THE STATE OF RATTRAY STREET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 784, 22 June 1864, Page 5

THE STATE OF RATTRAY STREET.

(To the Editor of the Daily Times.)

I have noticed lately a great deal in your paper about the formation of the main line of street through the city, but with all i.iae deference I woukl submit, tb:jt making and keeping in order the main cross streets is of f;tr wore importance. Doina: the former, is encouraging people in a great measure to live down in the swamps and fl its, which is good for nobody save the doctor, chemist, aod undertaker; but the latter would tempt more population to settle on. he hills where they can get good drainage, fresh air, and consequently hea!tn.

This leads me to the subject of my letter, viz :. —the very disgraceful state! of 'tha uppe;1 part of Ilattray street. Half of the width of this said street is supposed to be fmi»h.sd, but they have managed to leave some fiffy yards or more on the upper end of it umnetalled, so that during this weather it is practically closed, and all the moneyspent in levelling the said portion of it is of course utterly wasted, as it is already a ssa of mv.i with holes and pitfalls innumerable, Jetting alone an. enormous gulf on one side, which aiy vehicle goinsr straight up the installed part on a dark night must inevitably fall into. On the first cross street in a line with the Catholic Chapel some hundreds of tons of earth have fallen down, almst blocking it up entirely, and, in fact, nearly one whole side of Rittray street isf highly dangerous from the same cause, immense blocks of earth having fallen since the late rains. In aIL human probability it will uot be many days before somebo y is killed from ,these causes, and then, of course, will be more actions aga'nst the Town Board, when again the public will have to pay the piper. On ons side of the aforesaid street no side channel has ever been attempted to be made, and. the storm water rushes down the ruts in the centre of the metal, tearing up and destroying it entirely; and on the other it is blocked up with, large stones, which were placed there to keep vehicles 011 the metal, and not having them shifted, form, and cause the water channels to bein the middle of the road.

In the part opposite the High school, the pathway is in a wretched condition, within a few fees of a great heap of gravel, which is oftea being carted away to make other streets. I do not know in whose hands the deep gully on. one side of the stivet in question is vested, but, it instead of being left as a receptacle of filth or all kinds, it were filled up level, with the spare earth which is obstructing the other sMe and sold, it would have a much better appearance, and would pay for filling up twenty times ovpr. I unfortunately have to pass up this so-called street twice every day, and therefore will vouch. for the correctness of all the foregoing. 1 am. &c, ■ CiviS. Dunedin, June 16th, 1864,

A VOYAGEUR'S COMPLiINT. (To the Editor of the Dailt Tihe3.J Sir, —I was a passenger by the steamer City of Dunedin on Inr la3t trip from JMUrlborough, and being uncertain at the time whether I could leavj Hwelock at her adverlised tima of sailing" (which,'however, was not adhered to) I did nofc take my passage ticket from the agent, Messrs Ivlatheson and Co., who advertised the cabin, passage by this vessel at LG, which sum several of my fellow passengers paid, no other amount being asked Having concluded my arrangements sooner t-jan I expected, but thinking T had not sufficient time to po to the extreme end of the town to take my passage at theagents' I went on board without doing so. la due course the Captain asked me for my ticket. I toll him I had not time to take it but tendered him the advertised fare, viz., L 6, the same as my co-voyagers had paid ; finding I had no passage ticket Captain Boyd immediately dem*nde<i L>7, which I refused to pay, considering" it an imposition, whereupon he informed rae that, unless I complied, he would put me into jail at Wellington until I paid the amonnt demanded. Time being an object to me I could not afford the detention that magisterial proceedings wouldhave necessitated, I paid tiie amount under protest, declaring my intention of seeking redress from Messrs Car&ill and Co, whose instructions Captain Boyd declared ha was carrying out. Oa my arrival at Dunedin I called at their 6ffic?» when they refused to refund the overcharge or give me any satisfaction whatever, upon which. I informed them them that I would make such a disreputable transaction public, and try the question before the Resident Magistrate, as I assuredly shall do. Now, Siv, it is not of the rate of fare that I complain, aa I had plenty of travelling for my money, being ten days coming from Havehck to> Dunedin; but what Ido complain of and feel indignaut at is the violation of mercantile integrity and good faith that this procedure manifests as a business transaction :—it must be stigmatised as dishonorable aud discreditable in the extreme. As it was, I had no alternative but to submit to the imposition or be placed in durance vile, and thus suffer detention and greater pecuniary loss. Certainly I had my remedy at law. but it being necessary that I should be in Dunedin in time for the mail, I submitted to the imposition. It ia not for the sake of a pound that I desire to make this matter public or seek redress, but simply to caution those who, relying on the reputed mercantile integrity of aa old established firm, may not suffer from an exuberance of confidence like Your obedient servant, 20th June, 1864. A Passenger.

COUNTRY INNS. {To the Editor of the Daily Times.) Sir—lt is so seldom in this outlandish country that one enioy3 the comforts of an English inn, that I feel bound to bring to your especial notice the house of accommodation kept by Mr William Battrich. Crown Hotel, Clutha Ferry, where civility, moderate charges, good feed, and scrupulous cleanliness are invariably to be met with. 1 have now travelled a good deal throughout the length and breadth of the country, and fearlessly assert that this hotel is without parallel, combining at the same time that peaceful retirement which is so desirable to the town resident. This recommendation I consider simply as an act o£ justice to an enterprising and deserving landlord, I am, &c, Travemeju