THE YARN OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 35, 17 February 1877, Page 3

THE YARN OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

TO THE EDITOE. 'Twas 'midst the hills that round our coast, Erect their knolls of sand, That lone and damp, by a dismal swamp, I found an elderly man. His air was seedy, his visage was long, And seedy and long was he ; To me then he quotes all his casting votes, And the'ffects of his majority. "Oh ! I am the Clerk and the Chairman sharp Of the Council of Wanawatu ; I also assess whate'er you possess, And stick it on heavily too." Then down by the swamp he began to stamp Till I really felt afraid, For it seemed to me quite as if he wex - e tight, So this remark I made, " 'Tis little I know of casting votes, Or the'ffeets of a majority ; But I'll be hanged if I understand, How you can possibly be, " At once the Clerk and the Chairman sharp Of the Council of Wanawatu ; If you also assess whate'er we possess, The conjunction will all of us rue." Down himself he set on the ground though wet, And giving a cunning grin, " Though against my grain the truth I'll . j«&plain,. .— -r ■■— - So my story I'll straightway begin. "When the Counties Act became a stern fact, ;. And the distribution began, That Councillors two to Foxton were due, We all of us held to. a man. To the new chums of Feilding we must not be yielding, Or the people of Palmerston ; If they've members the most, poor Foxton has lost, Her claim to be county town. " And I'll not be Clerk or Chairman sharp, Of the Council of Wanawatu ; Though still I'd assess whate'er you possess, And the rates from the ratepayers screw. Let's; to Wellington hie, and to Pollen we'll cry, Of Councillors give us the most ; Or the up-country clowns m their newly built towns, Will o'er Foxton be ruling the roost. We the oracle worked, and Haleombe 's burked Of the County Chairman's snug seat. Pam's chance of the capital we also did stop it all, For the Council at Foxton doth meet. And I've Councilloi's eight to keep matters straight, And we're five of a majority ; While my casting vote, I beg you will note, More adds to my security, As the Council Clerk and the Chairman sharp In the County of Wanawatu ; And I'd like to assess, if the power I possessed, The amount of my Chairmanship screw."