THE LONG BAY ROAD.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 68, 13 March 1877, Page 3

THE LONG BAY ROAD.

to the editor of the akaroa mail. Sir,—-I say. Sundowner, old brusher, did you ever tramp with the blue horse collar and billy attached, oyer the Long Bay range, without saying several prayers for the Road Board when you were down on all-fours on that rugged tmek, which the Board have the cheek to make us poor cockatoos pay rates for, arid jolly big ones too. Join us, old Sunny, and peg into County Council, Road Board, .Civil Engineered all who will not join in." slinging" some of those confounded stones off the track that make it so dangerous to travel on either by day or night., .. \Vhen. you start on this. wallaby track,'•'Sunny,.; don't indulge too freely in Hooper's XXX, ~or you will be sure to hear the hill remark, "you won't get over, me." '.". Talk about Gentle Annie or Roaring; Mag in Otago, or the Devil's, Arm Chair in Marlborough. Mother Toiloses Gap or Mount. Herbert are all" first-class roads when compared with the Long Bay road. At one time there

was £400 granted for the Akaroa side of the range and tenders called, and a jolly lot of fuss made about it, but there was a duckling or an engine driver and some more confounded duffers that wnnted.compensation, or something else they could not get. Then the Government officials began tapering. Ido not mean measuring up for the contractors, you know, for it was not let. But tying the confounded stuff into so many knots that the teeth of the Road Board could not untie it ; so much for feuds between Government and public servants. God bless all public men, for I am sure they want His blessing bad enough, for I am sure they do not get many from the public. I hope, Mr. Editor, you will excuse me bothering you so much about this road, but if you should ever venture my road, I will show you some of the nicest stories you could wish to see.—l am, yours, &c, A SWAGGER.