WAIKOUAITI.

Otago Witness, Issue 657, 2 July 1864, Page 21

WAIKOUAITI.

(FBOM THB DULY TIMBB CORRESPONDENT.)

There is an old aayine, nevertheless a v-ry true one-—' 1 It ig an itl wind that blows no one any good;" *or certainly the change in the weathf r, which appears to have broken up for the winter, has had the effect of causing many drays to abandon the West Taieri road to the diggings for that of the Shag Valley. which at all times affords greater facilities during the printer months. The influx of horses, carts and waggons for etores durinsr the past week has given quite an impetus to business here, and the anticipation of merchants thai a better time would dawn upon them daring the wet season is spparently about to be realised. We hope that it may prove somewhat more than a mere dawn, and that the commencement of renewed traffic through here to the diggings may become per* manently established. The «wg Valley road baa been much improved daring the last yew, and as in going to the Dunstan it passes near to the more recently discovered gold fields, comprising Hamilton's, Eight and Twelve Mile, Hogburn, and others, it will to «n advantage to all concerned in the supply of the digging community with provisions. The running of Cobb'e coaches through here to the Danstan will a|sn tend to improve the monotonous state of things experienced here <°or so lone a time. The entire road, via Shag Valiej, Is nearly a dead level, and the moat dangerous parts, , strange to say, are within a few miles of Jtaoedin, from the North* east Valley through the Blueskin Bush, espe dally that portion leading from the Valley to the Junction Hotel, and where there have been several accidents from the narrowneis of the cuttings, in some ports not sufficiently wide to admit tha passing of two vehicles. There are other, perhaps, equally bad places in the bash at which a few posts and rails would be an immense safeguard to Ufa. and pioperty. The necessity of something being done to render tbia portion o toe line more reeura taunt < be'obvious to all who have travelled ft. • There are many persons who would j>e alarmed flven.to.be driven by the light of the day, much less on a dark night through Blutakin. The coaches, to perform their journey in tbe specified time, wUi be obliged, daring the winter months, to Moomplish this part of rosd

through the dark hours of night. Not only for the sake of those travelling by Cobb'sconveyinees, but also for tb> general safety of the pubuo who nov frequently drive to Dunedin, ft is to be sincerely hoped that these most dangerous spots will be made morenecure before serious accident* occur.

What with tbe late bad weather and ah«rp frosts, the roads immediately around here are iv a horribly muddy state owing: to the increased traffic upon them ; and though the racial 'for the northern line has been broken for several weeks, do attempt has at present been made to spread it. lhere was ample time for its being, done before the wet season set in. And why the delay 1 Surely R is not that roads after being formed are improved by being allowed to remain in a halffinished state during the winter, to he out up and made almost impassable for carts unle* half a dozen horses are attached thereto. To an observer, I Bhould perhaps say a sufferer, it cerI famly do«s appear most extraordinary to see these stones, that would have made tha road terra firms, piled up to the banks of the Beveral cuttings and where they must now remain for months, instead of being used before the road got into its present state. The unmetalled parts in Boaoh street also rail for long boota— the metal for this, however, has been prepared, and perhaps the least said about this piece of road the better. Local news is very scanty. Last Saturday the collector of Educational taxes summoned a few of the refractory ratepayers to tbe Besident Magistrals Court, and in each case dealt with, obtained judgment.