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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 38, 20 March 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

“That’s the way the money goes, Pop goes the weasel.” —Popular Song. To the Editor of the Hawke's Sag Times. Sir, —Napier, to use an expression of Mr. Crombie’s, the Photographer, contains “ The Beauty and talent oj New Zealand.” I will, at present leaue the beauty alone, as you can see that every day when you look at the ladies (God bless ’em all). But talent. Sir, is not always conspicuous, it needs pointing out, and like the pretty little flowers that are born to blush unseen, what a precious lot of talent there is never brought to light! I beg to point out an existing instance of the genius of our Government engineers, and I refer to the ruins of the new bridge over the creek near the ferry. Instead of the bridge, I perhaps ought more correctly to say the approaches to it. They’re gone. Sir, but unlike that “ baseless fabric of a vision” that Shakspeare talked about, they’ve “ left a wreck behind”, and I should advise the curious to go and look at it. Now, Sir, when I tell you that the creek alluded to is affected considerably both by floods and tides, and when I tell you also that these approaches were made of loose earth, topped by a few sods, the sides nearly perpendicular, and not a pile about them, I think you must agree with me that at least there’s talent to be found in the engineering department. I don’t know who designed the construction, hut it’s Jirst class.

I remain, itc., A small Fish ehom the Sea Pacific Ocean, March 7, 1802.