THE SUNDOWNER'S SWAG.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 93, 8 June 1877, Page 2

THE SUNDOWNER'S SWAG.

" If I Had But a Thousand a Year." " Great'expectations and small realizations."

"Counting your chickens before they are hatched" ib not an amusement which, produces unmixed pleasure as its finality. I have no doubt that all who attended the meeting held some few weeks since in the Akaroa Town Hall, on the subject of the appropriation of the monies voted by the late Provincial Government for special road works, will agree with the truth of the above axiom. On. good authority lean state, that all the gems of oratory ; argumentative eloquence ; skill in disputation; forcible, although not polite, vituberation; rhetorical log-rolling and sail trimming; have been thrown to the winds ? for oneonly one—simple reason, which is, that you won't get the money. The Governmenthave received your resolutions, no doubt have jocosely smiled-over your liberality in handing over, what they consider their money, to your Road Boards, have taken

objection, on some technical point; to acquiescing and doing as you wish, say " don't you wish you may get rid of it ?." and will "see you blowed first" before you do. Ease your mind,my dear J. D. G., the Road Boards will not' dispute over the spending of those special grants.' " Mount Bossu's lonely grandeur "-.'will hot be profanely desecrated by belligerent boundary seekers. Those tried veterans in wordy war, who gave the meeting such a powerful exhibition of the Le Bon's Bay school of adjective speaking, can fight their frothy personal'battles over again. Pigeon Bay can apply, reapply, and try again, but "dye ken" the cheque will be returned with " refer to drawer," neatly written thereon. Harrowing to my feelings is the thought, that I wrote about my seeming inconsistency on this subject, and stated that I was not" alone in my glory." Never mind. "Let this be said between us hereOne love grows green when one turns grey ; This year knows nothing of last year, To-morrow has no more to say

To yesterday." " Decorum " is right, undoubtedly right. It must be painful to the feelings of decorus Sabbath-keepers to have the sanctity of the "day of rest" disturbed by the screeching whistle of the- marine engine, together with the necessary bustle and labour attendant upon the in-coming, and out-going of passenger traffic, and freight. " What can't be cured must be endured," however. The periodical visits of steamers to your port is a vital necessity, commercially, and otherwise, toward yoiir well being. It is impossible to shut ones' eyes to the fact that the trade of Akaroa is not of that magnitude as to induce the Union Company to alter their time tables, so as to especially oblige the few at .the disadvantage of the many. The travelling public who leave Port Chalmers on the Saturday, object to .passing more than an hour or so in Akaroa on the Sunday ; was it known that the Company's boat had to stay with you the major part of the day, a miserable passenger list would be the result, not only toothe Company's loss, but also to your own detriment, for it is a fact beyond dispute, that steam-boat passengers are good—although but casual—customers for your dairy produce and fruit. Expedite the boats as much as possible; the time will come —the quicker the better, say I—when with the aid of an enlarged trade, and possible competition, you can succeed in carrying out the Sinaic law—" Six days shalt thou labour."

" Twixt night and morn, upon the horizon's verge; How little do we know that which we are 1

How less that we may be! The eternal surge Of time and tide rolls on, and bears afar Our bubblea"

Common sense and no nonsense about those remarks of your 9, Mr. Duxbury. You have struck the matter dead on to a certainty. Stick up for the Board's prerogatives and rights ; take not the onus and responsibilities of a work about which the Board was not consulted.or its opinions asked. " Good on you," gentlemen Koad Boarders, return the money ! let the employers pay those they have employed ; if your services were considered superfluous at the. .outset of this jangled-over work, still make them a superfluity. If you always conduct your business in such manly independen tone and spirit! why I shall almost feel inclined to blow an occasional "pasan of praise " in your favour oft that unmusically useful instrument, my smoked-blacked billy. My familiar sprite—Miles's boytells me he hears you accused at a public meeting, of favourism and almost toadyism. You have nobly refuted such an accusation, as regards the Government, by the actionyou have taken in this matter. I feel inclined to join you. , I think I will get nominated for the beer vacancy. I am good on Hooper,, in a liquid form, although my fighting weight is not five gallons over amuddy road. I think one of my haw weally pwepawstewaus "Mr. Mantalini" admirers (?) will pwopaws me ; who will second me? You might give me a hand B. S.—will you? I shall wish.for neither, oppositions or "Dissensions, like small streams at first

begun, ' . Unseen they rise, but gather as they run."

I cannot help feeling somewhat annoyed at knowing that the first useful work undertaken by the Borough Council, for the improvement of your -main highway, has turned but a miserably executed " piece of work," over which the "Grumbling Growlers " are making a " piece of work " against the Council 1 My feeling of annoyance is not against the Council, but against the contractors who executed—literally— this startling tumble-down specimen of " hoWnot.to do it." In deprecation of the ratepayers wrath against the Council, many things can be said, and. should be remonstrated in their favour—they were in their noviciate; they have not a practical man as regards works of this class, in their number ; they were inexperienced as a body; divided in their ideas; had no responsible officer to superintend the pebble walling; they were all masters without a master ; to sum up all, they have done no worse than others, for has not Mr. Duxbury said, that the Road Board may have squandered monies, but Government engineers have also done so. The contractors should have done better; but put " the Growlers ".in the Council's place, could they have done better ? I think not! What does the Growl Master General think? Perhaps this— " Such strictures as these Could a learned Chinese, •• Only read on some fine afternoon; He would cry with pale lips, We shall have an eclipse. For a dragon has seized on the moon." Adieu. ■■'.'■