KILL OR CURE.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1152, 20 February 1874, Page 2

KILL OR CURE.

(To tlie Editor of tlie Westport Times.) Sib,: —The perusal of a series of letters which appeared lately, and written, if I may judge, with a view to rouse the public mind of the district of Charleston, to the instant necessity of taking into serious consideration the best and speediest steps for ensuring iuereased water supply, induces me to offer a few remarks and suggestions to the geutle.men appointed to direct tlie operations of the Pour Mile Company, which like the sickly heir to a large patrimony has languished through a long period of time, watched with anxious solicitude by those who hoped for its recovery and ultimate prosperity, and those who built thenhopes on its speedy dissolution. The couch of the invalid is yet surrouuded by these opposite expectants, and thongh the means of cure are at hand, tbe physicians either from want of euergy or skill are about to hurry their charge to • the dead house, and foolishly expose their own share in the business to the just censure of an exasperated inquest. " Wbat," they will ask, " are we to do ? " I say you have no right to put that question until you inform us of what you have done. Do not plead the trouble you have been to, as in any way exempting you from public blame, for though the public may forgive much, on account of one energetic or determined step, you have forfeited all pretentions to lenity through never offering to organise a single movement calculated to push the project ahead.

You held public meetings at which there was nothing done, because you came there without purpose or programme, to listen with admiring simplicity to the harrangues of a bellman, and then abandon the consideration of the subject to make way for the nimble footed votaries of terpsichore. You next reduced your meetings to those who had an interest in the scheme, and who at length getting disgusted with your procrastinating system and presuming stupidity, ceased to collect round you, and left you in in possession of the only subject which you had a talent for handling, namely, the public apathy, which as your own creation in this particular I can give you credit for being able to discuss. You registered the company after ten months of discussion, hope, and depression, and lest your liberality should be called into question, I will add, you paid for it too. You next petitioned the Superintendent for assistance, and the Provincial Executive with a ridiculous ostentation took upon itself to recommend you to a fund which you might have availed yourselves of ten mouths ago, or any time since, without their assistance or intervention I don't blame you for the petition, because men in the dark are allowed to grope where they like, but I am far from praising you for not having VU..IUU UUIUUIogD Ul l/LIC lUL-HII3 lO WUICU your petition was directed by the Executive, six months ago. To sum up, gentlemen, I would advise you to forward to Wellington the plans which I am informed the Surveyor is about to complete, and the question presents itself as to why these plans were not furnished and in the hands of the directors four months ago. Make a call and deposit 2$ per

cent, necessary in order to avail yoursehesof tho money promised by the Government. And if you cannot or will not see tho force of these suggestions, why resign, and retire with the consciousness of having acquired experience by which you may hereafter profit, by which, if I may judge by your persistency, the public are not likely to benefit or the Four Mile Company to succeed. 1 am, &c, Tippoo S.vurß.