The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 99, 29 June 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1877.

Now that another Parliamentary session is about to commence, it would be well that steps should be taken, to bring the wants and requirements of Akaroa prominently under the attention of the representatives of the people. Our public buildings are in the same disgraceful, inefficient state. We want a new Postoffice, a new Custom House, and a new Resident Magistrates Court House, as those at present existing are utterly unfit for the purposes for which they were designed. They might have done very well in the early days of the settlement, but, now, that the population and the business has increased, the present buildings are quite unsuitable. Besides, whilst, —thanks to the energy and judicious management of the Borough Council —great improvements are being effected in the town, and private enterprise has also not been slack in the march of progress, we can see no reason why, either owing to the neglect, want of energy or incapacity of those at the head of colonial affairs, our public buildings should be left in a state which is a positive disgrace. Then, with regard to the Lighthouse at the Heads. Is it ever to be erected ? All agree that it is a most necessary work, and statement after statement, promise after promise, have been made by the Government respecting it, and, yet, it seems as far off from being built as ever. Again and again, have we pointed out the absolute necessity that exists for a Lighthouse at the Heads, that its erection would be a positive boon to the shipping, as indicating in dark stormy nights the entrance to a commodious and safe harbour of refuge, yet it has been all in vain, the Lighthouse remains unbuilt. Our wharf accommodation too, is capable of great improvement. We have not made these remarks with the intention of casting any slur upon the representative of the district; we believe that Mr. Montgomery will, as he has done before, leave no stone unturned in order to promote the interests of his constituents ; but we wish to strengthen his hands. It seems to us, that the members of the Borough Council might very fairly move in this matter ; they might not only address Parliament in their corporate capacity, but His Worship the Mayor might call a public meeting at which the whole question should be discussed, and a petition adopted for presentation to Parliament, which, by the way, should not only be signed by every burgess of Akaroa but by everj r dweller on the Peninsula. It is by agitation in this way that pressure is brought to bear upon the Government, and it is only in this way, that they can be stirred into action. At present the occupants of the ministerial benches seem systematically to ignore the wants and requirements of Akaroa and the Peninsula.

Dairy produce is one of the staples of the Peninsula. Our cheese at one time was famous for its excellence, and met with a ready market. Wo regret, however, to learn, that there is a falling-oil in this particular, that owing to want of care in its manufacture, or from some other cause the cheese made on the Peninsula is not so highly spoken of as it was formerly. We much fear, that greed of gain, is at the bottom of this, and, that the production of quantity, not quality, is the end aimed at. It is, however, a short-sighted policy, and will, if persisted in, be sure to bring its own downfall. At the commencement of the diggings in Westland, Christchurch might have secured for itself, the whole of the West Coast trade, but, unfortunately, the greed of gain stepped in, and blasted the hopes that were reasonably entertained, that a new field for enterprise was being opened up., Some unprincipled persons shipped off a quantity of inferior goods—notably amongst others, some damaged flour—under the idea that anything: would do for the diggers. The mistake was found out when too late, Christchurch lost the trade, which was taken up, and has been retained ever since by Melbourne. And precisely the same thing will occur to the dairy farmers of the Peninsula, if they foolishly persist in supposing that the former good name of the cheese they make, will cover the defects of an article of inferior quality, which some of them are sending into the market.