DOG TAX COLLECTORS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 February 1911, Page 2

DOG TAX COLLECTORS.

(By " Blow Out.")

tt was ia the Eighties, in the days when butter was put in casks and overy cow hacl its hell. It was the time when the- pioneers were subduing tho Forty Mile Bush wilderness, in order that n.t some future timo it might blossom like the _ rose. Settlement had advanced steadily. A Paliiatna County Council had been called into existence. Of course, a county council must have tlie usual 'staff, which includes a dog tax collector. The council had tried several, all of whom were failures. One of these was old Ivumam. _ Jimmy. The members of tho council charitably thought this would be a soft job for' the old chap; but the chief reason in appointing Jimmy was his rough exterior and blunt majiner. Tt was the idea of the council that Jimmy would stand 110 "humtbug," and the tax would be readily paid oil sighb. Jimmy had been to all the digging "rushes" in Australia- and Now Zealand since 1840; he had all the free and easy fever of a digger in his veins; the tight noosed officialdom of a dog tax ocllector was not the sort of dignity the old' man hankered after, but Jimmy was old, his tough old sinews were drawn tight with those "d d rheumatic" ; he could no longer "hump bluey" over mountains, across gullies and sleep with 110 other covering than the canopy of heaven. He had 110 more damper to share with n "pal," as lie had done to the last crust hundreds of times—hut Jie must live. Away he trudged with his swag of dog collars and register book. I t was not far to the village settlement which was a likely spot to make a start 011. But, alas! Jimmy and Officialdom were soon to be divorced. Yes, tho first house of call was to be his last on dog tax business. Jimmy entered through the slab rails. He was duly announced bv the growling and bark-

f i.ng of dogs and the shouts of about half-a-dozen bareheaded bootless urchins announcing; to their mother "that a man was coming!" Jimmy was told to see* the "boss," who was about half-way down the .selection , wrestling with a rimu stump as if bis hopes of eternity dopendetl on the result. Tlie boss was one of those ! lanky, sinewy sons of toil who searj rely ever knew when his day's work [ was finished. From early morn, , long before Old Sol had risen to any 1 height, till the darkness of might , had set in, bo slaved. After dark he moved like a giant spectre amongst his log fires, which he kept going for clearing purposes. On ' the Sunday with his two pig dogs he scoured the bills in quest of the wild " pig for the week's supply of meat. '■ He was fighting for home and indiependence for his ■helpmate and those little shock heads so dear to him. 1 It was the struggle not of a man but a heroic giant. Jimmy could see all at a glance. Ho bad mixed with men of all nations and tsreedls; he had himself known heroic struggles against almost insurmountable difficulties: be had known many lips and downs. He was at the Eureka stockade, and was one of those who had. succoured Peter Laylor. He could appreciate the solf-sacrifice and heroism of others; beneath bis rough blunt speech and rugged appearance there was a naturo so refined that the most exacting crucible could not have found any dross. On the .approach of Jimmy the boss ceased operations. In a tone that lacked 1 the confidence of officialdom Jimmy halteringly stated he bad come to collect dog tax if the boss bad any dogs (this although the two pig dogs had threatened to devour him on entering the selection.) The village settler looked away at the bills—it was a far away troubled look. He was debating with himself, and then, sadly he murmured "Poor little chap; T thought I would have been able to rig him out to go to school next month ; be will have to wait another half-year. Wo must have meat. Wo cannot part with the rlogs." This was enough for Jimmy. Me had from the first had a hazy notion that this job was infra dig— for a digger! Tlie thought that he was to be a machine to oppress even the children was beyond all endurance. In his wrath he forgot_ bis " d——d rheumatic" ; he neither looked to the right nor the left; straight he went to tho county Office. The members were duly assembled'— it was the meeting day. The bundle of collars were brought with a whack on the table, the register hook planked down in front of the chairman. Jimmy's resignation speech was brief: " Yer can all go ier ." Jimmy had since gone to bis well-earned rest. Strict men of Formula. Creed and Cant say Jimmy was irreclaimable; but there is One who knows hotter. The council were on the look out for a [ successor to Jimmy.