LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 244, 18 July 1861, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

fuly 15, 1861. ( Sir, — I agree with you, that time ought to be taken;by the forelock iii'making some pre? liminary preparation for the defence of the district, so that the work may go on at once when necessary. Foti are.already aware that I am opposed to small isolated stockades, as useless expenditure of time -and money, and utterly worthless, and likely to turn ont. disastrous, except in mere self-defence; even in this last particular their utility is doubtful, considering the facility and Secriecy with which the Maori c;ah concentrate' Ins force. to attack one small place after another'” cutting the inhabitants off by a sudden onslaught, or leaving a few of his . force lurking about to take advantage of an unguarded moment. If you build the small stockade on a Maori track, he diverges through gullies, swamps, or the thickest bush with comparative ease, and lifts the cattle within gunshot of you, or pretends to do so, to draw you in pursuit, when your small party is cut off by ail. ambush ; or if you are permitted to return, it is to find your families and property takmi-.possession of. If.no other evil results, from ; the small stockade system, if such is.contemplated, it will protract the war, and add to the destruction of property, by preventing combined aggressive instant operations on our part. lam decidedly in favour of a large stockade or two on each side of the river, placed with an eye to the preservation'of the; stock, &c„ and capable of acting on the aggressive ;on .every favourable opportunity, and ‘ r inissing !; h'one’V* or.. stockade villages, the km-es placed so as'to be capable of assisting each other in case of one or the whole being attacked, there being one house or small stockade situated so as to command the rest, to which the women and children would retire when an expedition was intended. aS'ucli a system as this would, in the event of an outbreak, save the; country settlers the expence of lodging in town, and all or most of the evils, certain a*ul uncertain, to arise from crowding, and at. the ssm.e time,.leave the men available for combined, or other movements. If we are attacked by. such numbers that the women and children are' not considered safe under tliis plan, neither .will they be safe in town without a corresponding loss of men to protect them. iVotwithsfaiuling all that’s said and written on this subject, I'll lay you a wager that by and by-we will have the whole population town in the most disastrous confusion, Without-any.preconceived

understanding for theityeception, and the preservation of the moredielpless. Could not somebody call a meeting of the inhabitants of each .district, to decide on sites for stockades, and name the families to occupy them, and at once, name the.part each man is to take in their erection ?, Their bullock drays, horse teams, #c., axes, saws,, spades, and other tools, would, be .Jijtthd bands of the riien intended to use them ; in fact, every man appointed to a certain work, and go at it when the time arrives. . . Preliminaries of this sort arranged, rough plans might be submitted to the Colonial Government and Commander-in-chief for their approval, if nobody here can sanction them. This letter was. suggested by reading your, last issue. ’ . - . 7'” . A Country-(Settler.

[We believe;that a plan of; defence for the oiit-seftlers, together /IHtli -a Vequest for permission; to co-operate-with them qn-carrying.it out, either in the method/proposed, or in a mollified form, as circumstances may require: and for authority to draw on Government for

a certain amount towards the expences, has been forwarded to the Government this week by our military authorities. We have ho doubt that the subject will meet with favourable consideration, and immediate practical attention, from the new ministry.]

July 16, 1861. Sir, —Is it true, that one of our principal settlers employed a number of men to kill and prepare for market twenty-five bullocks openly in the public slaughterhouse of this place on the sabbath day ? And i 3 it true, that this shameful violation of God’s holy day was perpetrated by a magistrate, without any notice being"taken of it by the authorities ? You will .oblige me by answering these two queries'in your next issue; and, as a faithful chronicler of passing events, by giving the public a full account of this new way of “ remembering the sabbath day to keep it holy.” An Inquirer. July 15, 1851. Sir, —.Roads generally throughout Wanganui, Mr. Editor, are not famous for their goodness, and the recent wet weather has not at all improved them. But of all the roads in the district, perhaps the most peculiar is the one referred to in your advertising columns in connection with certain ploughed land. Shall I describe the stages by which the road in question has reached its present remarkable site ?

Well, sir, when the settlers first went to the Brunswick ’district in 1853, they had a good level and tolerably straight road through a farm “ known as the Grange Farm.” 1854 saw a grass paddock laid down, which, dear me ! must not be cut up by wheels. This was stage the first. A year or so later, a long ditch was dug, and the road was diverted so as to pass round the head of it. This the settlers did not half fancy, and badly wanted to put a bridge across. However, after a deal of neigh hourly squabbliFg, the point was carried against them.

Again a fence was made nearly at right angles to the ditch, and the settlers were forced still further out,—in fact, to the edge of the level land. Subsequently they were told not to cross ploughed grouud, but to travel round a nice little point in a zig-zag form. This, however, they did not do. A few months ago the settlers were shut out altogether, by a fence, which had to be broken down. Now a twisted track is marked out for them along a side hill, which is undoubtedly dangerous, and almost impassable. This, by a great stretch of the imagination, is termed ‘‘.the road hitherto in use,” and the settlers are to be prosecuted if they venture upon the level land which is ploughed. /There the next, and the next stage will take the road, a few years hence I may be able to say ; at present, not being a prophet, I can’t. Now, sir, / am convinced, that although this may be an extreme case, there are many somewhat similar. This is a new settlement. 7’his is the beginning of road disputes. —-what will the ending be? Whatever this road question is at present, depend upon it, sir, it will some day be one of public interest; and he who succeeds ia simplifying the Road act, so as to enable it to meet this case and others like it, will be deserving of the gratitude of the country settlers generally. A Settler.

[We believe that one of our members intended to introduce an amended Road act last session of the Provincial Council, but the shortness of the session we- suppose prevented him From settlers who have had practical grievances in connection with the subject to complain of, we would be glad. to. have communications, so that something may Be done, once for ail, to remedy the very unpleasant state of matters at present existing.]-