“SANDY McALISTER.”

Western Star, Issue 778, 26 September 1883, Page 2

“SANDY McALISTER.”

TO THU EDITOR. ( Sill,—As the wars of the clans are likely to wax fast and furious, I claim a small space for the following. Sir. the elan Mac Alister, or MacAlester, formerly belonged to the north of Kintyre. They are traced to Alister, | or Alexander, a son of Angus Mor. They claim to be descendants of the McDonnel of Glen Garry, and date from 1284. From the turbulent nature of the clan 'ho Campbell* had to dispossess them. Further down, in 1493, the MaeAlesters became so numerous as to form a separate clan. The name of their chief was John or Tan Dubh. Sandy Mac Alister was one of thorn Highland chieftains who were held responsible by jhe Act “ called the black band.” passed in 1587, for the peaceable behaviour of the clansmen and the broken urn who lived on their lands. Now that there appears to be alive representative of this troublesome clan in our dist ict, and that in 1805 Charles McAlister probably the father of “Sandy”—in order to inherit unentailed estate, assumed the name of Somerville Mac A tester. It would be well for the ratepay r< of this dis'ricb to consider whether “Sandy” has not had, and would still further like to have, a pecuniary inheritance from the Road Board, and in order to meet this end, he is not particular in his assertions. For instance he says (hat “ it’s all very well for Mclntyre, Hamilton, Stevens, &c., who have gravelled roads from their lands to the railway station, to cry out for merging.” Now, sir, my own ease stands thus: I have neither one yard or one inch of gravel on the road to the station ; furthermore, permit me to inform “ Sandy” and all his clan that, it is only by the courtesy of ray neighbor that I have bad access at all to the railway for the last three years ; and tudher, that when a bridge on the’ road, which was maintained for fourteen years by the settlers, became impassable about three years ago, 7 or 8 .of those interested petitioned the Road Board on several occasions for its reconstruction, but. they turned a deaf ear to this as well as many other necessary works, and this bridge I ha 1 to construct at a cost of £l2, entirely out of my own pocket, ir. addition to a double rate. Mergers do not, as stated, seek to evade a double rate, knowing well that on'‘e merged, they have no further control over rating What they do want is to dipense with the Me Hester engineer-con.ractnr-and-inspeetor-ship business, and bring about economy of administration, and permanent works; and with this view the ratepayers, or as it is more pointedly pub by “Sandy,” Mclntyre, Hamil ton, Stevens, &c., by the will of God and the help of the ratepayers, mean to do just as did the Campbells of old —dispossess all the MacAlisters, “ Saudy” included, of all their rights and inheritances in Road Boards. —I am, &e., John Mclntyre.