A WORD OF ADVICE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 374, 20 February 1880, Page 2

A WORD OF ADVICE.

To the Editor of \the Akaroa Mail.

Sir, —In the report of-the proceeding of your Borough Council contained in your issue of January ,23, Councillor O'Rielly called attention to the fact of a nuisance existing at a certain spot, and a committee were appointed to report on the matter. I have watched for their report, but have not seen it. I don't know that I should have troubled you with this, but that the matter >vaß forcibly brought to my recollection a few days ago by a gentleman remarking to me that he had been to the Public Library to look up the Mail, to see how the steamers were running, as he thought of sending his family down; but he had also seen the report above referred to, and after reading that, had altered his mind. And while we both commended Councillor O'Reilly for his endeavours to have the nuisance at once abated, we condemned in no very measured terms the senseless remarks of Councillor Armstrong, that he should object to anything being done with it unless something was done somewhere else, as though two wrongs could constitute a right. I have been led to make a few remarks on this matter not from any personal or interested motive, but simply from a desire to see you stand well with your neighbours. You no doubt, in common with everybody else, have felt the pinch of the late hard times, and it is no way to get over them to allow anything to transpire that will tend to bring your town into disrepute. Of course it is not expected that you will have an immunity from ills, but at least it may be expected that prompt measures will be taken when anything like an epidemic is likely to appear, I am looking at the matter now from the point of view taken of it by the denizens of the plains. They come to you as customers, for the benefit to be derived from the entire change of scenery which they can obtain, and this must not be marred by any fear of their meeting with you that which they are probably endeavouring to avoid at home. Your comparative inacessibility , is drawback enough to you (which it behoves you to do all in your power to get rectified) without your throwing any other obstacles in the way. The loss of only one family of visitors is a direct pecuniary loss without taking into consideration any other irremediable loss you might sustain through the death of some of your number from what might have been preventible causes. I hope therefore that some of your Coun? cillors will have the courage to look the matter in the face, and, if necessary, even to propose a special rate so as to start your finances on a sound basis, and provide f unde to carry out such necessary works as the one I am the more particularly alluding to. In Christchurch we are paying a general rate of one shilling and special rates of rather over another shilling. Not to trespass further on your space I will conclude by trusting that my remarks may cause some discussion on the desirability of all striving as in a common cause to make Akaroa what it ought to be, the most desirable sea-side resort of the Middle Island.—Yours, &c. COSMOPOLITAN.

Christchurch, Feb. 13.