CHARMING CANDOUR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 769, 12 January 1877, Page 3

CHARMING CANDOUR.

~ Mr J. TC. Macdonald, the Mayor of the Thames Borough is one of the j most candid of men. He made a j speech to the Borough Council there the other day reviewing his proceedings as Mavor during the past year, which contained some statements of the frankest kind. Here is an example ;—“ I was elected,” said he, “ on the Wednesday, Before the end of the week I was sent for to the borongh bankers, and what passed was this: 4 You people have been out-running the constable with an overdraft, and I am not going to let it run further.’ This was a cheerful assurance, and the only consolation T got was a gratuitous assurance that if I liked to go to Auckland and get round the boss, I could go. Well, I knew that, and upon reflection .1 did so. I saw the boss, stated the borough case, and. 1 think, must, have got round him effectually, as, from that day to this, the overdraft has enjoyed a rapid and uninter rupted process of enlargement ” At last the banker came down upon Mr Macdonald again about the overdraft, and, this time, was not to be appeased. At length the banker declared that the cheques from the borough treasurer would be dishonored unless he (Mr Macdonald) would go to Wellington I and got the Grneral Government to do something for tiro borongh. Straightway Mr Macdonald hied him to Wellington, and pressed Ministers to re lieve the Thames borongh from its overdraft. But we must allow him to tell his story his own way ; “ On the Thursday we saw Major Atkinson, and I staled my case, and so stated it that Major Atkinson said, ‘ Well, Mr Macdonald, yon have satisfied me that you ought to have what you ask, and if the Cabinet will concur, you shall have it.’ ” Hext day the Cabinet met, and, adds Mr Macdonald : —“ I was in attendance. About one o’clock the Major came out and told me tho Cabinet in Council assembled had said yes. 1 then thanked him, and he returned to the Council, and I was leaving when another member, it appears,, left the Cabinet in Council assembled, and came running down the road listless and breathless, How, I will tell yon what the hatless Cabinet Minister had to say. It. was this—‘ Oh, M acdonald, I forgot to tell yen not to sa}' a word about, the money, for if it comes out we shall have every man in the House wanting something of tho same sort, and tho end of it will bo, I’ll be d- d if you get a single shilling.’ 1 promised, and we parted, but only for a second, for he returned and added, ‘ And do not let Bro'be make a fool of himself by chattering or telegraphing.’” There is a naive- simplicity I about Mr Macdonald’s statement, j which stamps it with all tho oppeari ance of truth. Still, it was too bad of him, after getting tho overdraft set

right by Ministers, thus “to lot the cat out of t|ic hag” It whs ungrateful—very Ungrateful indeed, and MiMayor Macdonald ought to be ashamed of himself.—Post. i j