GENERALITIES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 444, 22 October 1880, Page 2

GENERALITIES.

To the Editor.

Sib, —Your wordy, windy commentator self-styled Aebestos evidently thinks it worth while to sneer, jeer and hurl personal kicks at his non-friend with the air of a (I was going to write) genius, but more properly, what the Scotch folks would call a real Al Mac, clipper built &c of every day life. I don't mean A.I. Me Gregor late Town Clerk of Akaroa, certainly not. He is above such tricks, but the letters coinciding with that mon'a name, I have to apologise out set, a critic's work should be above criticism. Fie, drive on, McdufiE; Our local morality, Trade, pride and venality, For the likes of yourself Is quite well enough. Ingenious and unique was the defence in the cause " Eoberts v. Hewer." Are not the ratepayers responsible for the actions of their eleGt? and wasn't tike Road Board responsible for the action of its servant, who didn't know his exact boundaries, not being a surveyor ? Interview the Road Board by all means, Mr Hewer, of course they'll pay such a paltry sum, rather than miss you for a whole week. The cattle might revel and the grass on the roads suffer, for there seems to be determination in the minds of the present regime that nothing shall be missed from the roads, not even firewood. Contractors ehould not take their contracts

so cheap, that they cannot afford to pay for commodity in a regular business way. It matters not that it ia waste and dangerous, and that it has cost the Road Board hundrodaand hundreds of pounds, hitherto to get rid of ; nor does it matter if the members have frequently taken, and made use o£ road timber themsalves. No, never in any case interfere with vested interests. Who knows but what some of the members may be in the firewood trade themselves. If so, order a cord, pay cash 5f you have got it, and if not borrow it. Merely ttict in management of cheap contracts—that's all. More anon. —I am, •etc., TOM CRINGLE. Wainui, Oct. 20th. .