THE BEAU-IDEAL OF A BAILIFF.

Dunstan Times, Issue 485, 4 August 1871, Page 3

THE BEAU-IDEAL OF A BAILIFF.

We have’heard of the swell who died in dispair because he had lost hia laundress, hut we scarcely expected to hear of an editor penning a long lament at los'fig the bailiff. But there are bailiffs and bailiff-, we suppose. At anyiate the “ Greymouth Evening Star'< writes:— There are those among our readers who will regret to learn that Greymouth is shortly to lose oneof the most kindly and considerate of men, in the person of our, bailiff. Mr Gourlay shortly resigns his appointment, and it is to be hoped by afl classes of tbe community—for nothing is more certain than death or the bailiff corning to us at some period or other—that bis sucessor may possess his merits Never did a man with a writ or a summons to serve have a more exquisite or delica’e touch. He would meet you in tbs street, and, wi hj tbe smile of a rather aged cherub, who had not given up the worldly habit of smoking, would place a summons in your hand in a manner which would lead one to believe that he was paying over a cheque, for which a receipt was quite unnecessary. With Mr Gourlay to deal with it was sorae'imes a positive pleasure to receive a summons; one felt like as if a compliment were heiOg paid him, and if, again esteemed friend, the bailiff, bad to convey a customer to lock up under a writ of arrest, why the manner in which he performed the task amounted to genius. No one whoevers.vwMr Gourlay in company with someone else,but would be quite under tbe belief that the two are going to dine together, or at tire least drink to each other’s health, success, and prosperity in life in a g ass o! sherry. And so in the most beautiful manner docs our friend serve a ca. sa, ; and in the most humans, comforting, and assuring way, he takes his client off to the lock-upafier seeing that he has not neglected to provide hira’elf wiih the materials for a quiet and sooihing smoke. “ Here your are !” our bailiff will say, “ nobody can touch you until you get out again, and that will be very foolish for you to do until you have squared matte 's and made your Irfo easy.” Now, this is tha functionary we are to he deprived of, to be replaced by W’e know not whim. A man, if he dose not like his baker or his butcherorhis grocer, can change him; but it is not in Iris power to to do so with his bailiff; he must take him as he finds him; and therefore it is we deeply regret the retirment of a gentleman who, in the most liberal interpretation of the term, has so long been connected with the Civil Service in Greymouth.