SUPPLYING THE MAORI PRISONERS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2033, 30 August 1880, Page 3

SUPPLYING THE MAORI PRISONERS.

To the Editor of the Globe, Sib, —Can you inform me when an opportunity will bo afforded me to send in a tender to supply the Native prisoners here with goods in my line —blankets, clothing, &o. It is, I believe, the right of every tradesman to use what influence he can that is calculated to bring grist to his own mill, but let us have fair play from our public servants. We have to keep them no matter what rank they hold, what particular creed they claim, or what be their status as to secret and special societies. Partiality, in the distribution of public money should bo specially guarded against, and there is no better way of doing this than by public tender. I have scanned carefully your advertising columns for some invitation from the gaoler at Lyttelton to furnish supplies in connection with the above prisoners, but though several hundreds of pounds must already have been spent in this direction, the authorities have been singularly slow in giving the ordinary facilities to the tradespeople to compete for these supplies. I must apologise for troubling you, but I am not single, I assure you, in the idea that a screw is loose somewhere in connection with this matter. Yours, &0., A LYTTELTON SHOPKEEPER. The following letter appears in this mornings issue of the “ Press ” :