Original Correspondence

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 520, 8 July 1881, Page 3

Original Correspondence

We are at all times ready to give expression to every shade of opinion, but in no case do' we hold ourselves responsible for the views advocated by our correspondents.

Non hominem occidi (igitur) ° ° ° I JSgo nihil in meformidine pc&nce admittam. ' Hor. Epist., i., 16. j To the Editor. '. Sm.—Have you any conception of the I *• tricks and the manners " of certain local bodies not, proverbial for their smartness. When I think of them, I call to mind Bret Harte's lines concerning the Heathen Chinee, "for ways that are dark, etc.," and in the guilessness of my young heart conclude—they know a thing or two. j One little event in the career of a "noble eeven " deserves notice, to show that their financial calibre at least has been underrated. A Government servant in a weak moment thought to impeach the rights of a person to what he doubtless considered iiis immunity, viz., going for all he could get; a laudable ambition, certainly, but it has two sides. As might be expected, the result was that, first indirectly, then directly & number of charges were trumped yp and thrown at him, and dark hints of higher powers being brought to bear in <-a«e of iris not conforming to, etc., etc., but the .aiiove being his motto he defios them. The citcumstnnces arc these :—A c> rtain local body, annually, elected, has to piiy a Government servant a salary, varying between £14 and £16 on the last day of each month. The paymaster, we shall call him, is intimately.related to the storekeeper of the place wlii.-h rejoices in the possession of this local body. The cheque by which this salary is paid'ia not regular fill, by a happy coineideiife. it receives the signature of the storekeeper. G. S. is handed the cheque without countersignature, and has to go to the store to get it made regular. If he has not had iris little account a day or two before, he now has it presented to him. The signature is not immediately fortl coming ; lint after the little amicable chat peculior to little shopkeepers, he is playfully reminded that there is a pen and ink on the counter. S. K. has a p.n. to meet on the fourth, perfect godsend having seen a man with money, etc. G.-S. goes off a poorer but a wiser man, minus a cheque for a note or two. G. S. jibbed on this system of blackmailing in April, and would not take his cheqne from the paymaster until countersigned. Note the result! It was the middle of May before-he got his screw; S. K. got none of it, but he began to find out that G. S. was far from being a proper person, and sundry hints to that effect were promulgated. At the end of M;iy G. S. was in his usual chronic state of impecuniosity, and was required to interview some one in Akaroa touching " that little account so long standing ;" he therefore went for his cheque at the time when due. The paymaster gave him a look which he has barely recovered from, being ©f a nervous temperament, meaning unutterable tilings, and also the tail end of it, seeming to say, "Wilt thou dare me and my wife (for, tell it not to Gaih ! the grey mare is the better horse, and runs that establishment; at our veiy door?" Xl Certainly not; he could not pay it; had had no advice that it was in the bank." " But if S. X.'s consent was obtained could he ?" " Oh, that was another matter." S. K. was doubtful. " Was it very urgent ?" v Very." " Well, he thought it might be managed, eyeing G. S. pocket, and not seeing cheque book forthcoming lends a blank cheque, gets £9 out of £10 he asks, leaving his victim with 9s 3d more than will pay the account required in Akaroa. You may imagine what a fearful debauch he would have on this sum after paying for dinner, horse feed, etc. G. S. is now a creditor instead of a debtor, therefore, because he did not take his fleecing quietly, a little lateral pressure in the shape of store bills is brought to bear on the majority of the noble seven, and they suddenly discover that G. S. is not n fit and proper person, etc., etc., and recommend him to resign, or tho terrors of the big bugs will be brought to bear, etc. There is another little circumstance concerned with this—an election dodge that wants showing up. I may if pushed to it do so, but desiring to live at peace with all men I'll rnfrain. In the meantime Ta Ta, Mr Editor,—l am, etc.. QUISCTIUS. 29th June, 1881.