THE BATTLE OF THE PEGS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 110, 7 August 1877, Page 2

THE BATTLE OF THE PEGS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE AKAROA MAIL..

Si B) —There is a rumour that the Borough Council intend adopting that historically disastrous principle of trying to please everybody. The result to all thinking people will at once be apparent. Taking questions of the most trivial importance, involving a difference of opinion between perhaps two persons only,-a third is called in to decide the point in dispute. Does he, or does he not, fail to satisfy both parties ? I leave the answer to an inipartial reader, without fear of a diversity of opinion. What then must happen, if the Borough Council decide, in this pavement and level business, to suit the width of the road or the height of the pathways to the various tastes of the people residing on tbe margin thereof ? . Why, what will happen will be this, — that the Council will never be able.to move a step, propose a plan, suggest an improvement, lay down a rule, and, so on, but what some intellectual burgess will come in and attempt by factious opposition, t6 frustrate the Council's procedure. Robertson steps in and complains that the present level of the pavement will half bury his gate. Jones, close. by, says that his front portal will be left two feet above, ( causing thereby an inconvenient lifting of j his left or right leg a few inches above its j normal elevation. Brown, further 0n,.! wants the level lowered, or the top lintel of

his door will be the destruction of everydecent hat belonging to bis numerouscircle of acquaintance. Can.anything be more subversive of discipline in the Council, or of respect to it from the outward public, than, its taking up the vacillating and untenable position of trying to please everybody ? Do, dear astute Councillors, try and bear in mind that you are entrusted with an authority to do your best for the public benefit, and that you have no power in the world to accommodate your action to the convenience or wishes of the few ; that if you pervert your intellects and sacrifice public money because a few come with a complaint, you simply arrogate to yourselves a position that does- not belong to you. Alter your levels and widths, and what follows! ? You completely destroy the regularity and appearance of your streets for ever afterwards, and if you incur public censure, as probably you will, the verdict will be—''Serve yo_ right," add so say's your correspondent. PEGS.