PUNT AT MURPHY'S LANDING.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 267, 26 May 1888, Page 2

PUNT AT MURPHY'S LANDING.

I (To The Editor). S IR) — I W as mightily amused (on reading" Wednesday's News) at Cr Murphy's attitude towards the other members of tho Piako County Council 'at their last meeting", on the question of the erection of a bridge across the river at his landing, as proposed by the Council. It is always an evidence of secondary or inferior minds, that they bring into use any power or influenco the} 7 possess, that they have found effective on other occasions, whether applicable or not. Mr Murphy's groat forte r on which Ire, like so many ©f his countryI men, relies is intimidation ; nnd intimida-" tion he tried by threatening to give up the pnnt in a 'month, or would keep it on six months if the Council would erect «i bridge in that time. Nearly all believe Mr Murphy is the motive power about that punt, Cornelius Murphy the cypher required by la.v, his father being a councillor. Poor martyr to his country's good, he can't keep the punt on much longer. The renl fact of the case is, people using the punt are thoroughly tired of the extortionate charges made on it for crossing «t night ; it is bad enough in all conscience during the day, but no sooner does the clock strike 7 p.m., than all charges are doubled, 2s for a trap, Is for horse and rider, 6d for a foot passenger is levied for being ferried over a calm stream, sft Gin deep and I2oft wide ; charges that really make the head uche to pay, and possibly stand, on the bank shouting for half-an-honr before the lad of fourteen in charge puts in an appearance. Mr Dennis Murphy, or his son. receives from the Piako County Council the sum of £36 a year as subsidy to keep the punt running ; they take all the fares besides, which possibly tots up to about £80 a your, not at all an inconsiderable sum for a lad of fourteen to bring in, besides doing n lot of other work between times ; so I