A BLACK PINE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 506, 20 May 1881, Page 2

A BLACK PINE.

To the Editor

Sir, —Whoever" Totara" may be Tcare not nor do I wish to know. A writer assuming a noni-de-plume may be anybody or the merest nobody for that matter, yet I consider every unit of the ratepaying eomunity has a right to the expression of his opinion, always j rovided that he does so in a manly, independent, and truthful, manner, and in language decent and becoming, but when he goes further than that; when he begins to impute base motives, gets arrogant, abusive, and insolent experience teaches that,in such instances it is sometimes best to give such persons a little more tether, for sooner or later they are sure to become entangled in the meshes of their own nets, or in tho traps planted for others. When " Totara " assumes that l ' Black Pine" wisl'iea to, or can. gull the iratepayers lie must form a very low estimate of the ratepayers' judgment, and I csn assure ' Totara" that I for one should not like to trj , and do so ; they are far too smart and wide awake for that. Instance a case which occurred at the Road Board Office on Saturday last, at the " Ranger " meeting. One gentleman tried it on thusly: lie coaxed, wheedled, and flattered the audience ; nay, even condescended to we them familiarly,' and called th'ein sensible,meni talked figures, grew eloquent and egotistially remarked he could go on nil night if they wanted, and they let him ; he called tho opposition speakers small men (as moasured by hh own standard invention Ego), others he called clap traps,, etc' but it wouldn't wash. " Then he amole a kind o' sickly smile, And he frowned so dark and donr ; While the subsequont proceedings Seemed to vox him all the more." No, gulling is but a poor game at best, and tliis old •' Rlaek'Pirie " is not so green as to be gulled by a '• Totara," not yet.—: I am, etc., B. P.