A CANDID CRITIC

Hokitika Guardian, 15 December 1931, Page 6

A CANDID CRITIC

■ Motorists are frequently severe critics of county councils, in so falas they discharge or fail to discharge their responsibilities with regard to the 6 ' maintenance of the highways. Very few, however, are so candid and so straightforward as one motor cyclist who recently stopped at a luncheon room in Milton for the midday (meal. He was a very diminutive rider, and after divesting himself of numerous outer garments lie seated himselLat a table with a look of one who had travelled many weary miles. It so happened that practically all the members of the Bruce County Council were also in the room, the council having adjourned for lunch a few minutes before. Not knowing into what company he had cdriie', the traveller addressed himself 'to two diners—not members of the council—were sitting alone. “By jove,” he said in a. jiecularily high-pitched, penetrating voice, “you have terrible roads down in this- part. I have travelled 600 miles on this trip and never struck anything like them before.-” The two, who fully appreciated the joke, informed, him that now was the time to air his grievances, ns he had in the same room the whole Bruce County Council. In no way daunted by this information, the diminutive one left his table, and crossing to where the councillors were assembled in a group, the visitor gave his opinion of the state of the road over which lie had just travelled. After finishing amid roars of laughter from all in the vicinity he calmly surveyed the members. “Well,” he concluded -t the end of his inspection, “that accounts, for it anyway.” The councillors were, not unduly perturbed by

the, attack, and expressed the hopetil at .after a good meal their critic might feel in a.more genial frame of, mind',. )vith the final warning that the worst part of the road had yet to he encountered.