A WARNING TO PLACE-SEEKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 521, 31 October 1857, Page 4

A WARNING TO PLACE-SEEKERS.

In the abstract of the new Irish Secretary's speech to his constituents on his. re-election last . Tuesday, and which appeared in this journal of Friday, there was no mention of an episode the omission of which would be quite" inexcusable, Inasmuch as the point involved is not merely .of local interest, but comes home to the bosoms

of a largo class of Her Majesty's subjects in every portion of her dominions. Just beforo winding up his address Mr. Herbert thus delicately observed:— _

" There is one more question to which I wish to ask your attention. It is rather a delicate one, but 1 trust to the good humour, kindness, and good sense of my countrymen, to listen to me for a few moments on the subject. I allude to the subject of patronage. You all know probably—at all events, you all believe — that, in consequence of the appointment I have received, I have a considerable amount of what may be called, in familiar language, " the loaves and fishes" under my distribution.

"Con. Lamb (an elector) —Signs by, you'll be troubled -with, a great deal of applications. (Laughter.) '• Colonel Herbert—You are quite right! That's what I was coming to. (Laughter.) Con. Lamb—'Tis the most troublesome situation a man can hold, God help you. (Laughter.) And half of them that would cut your throat are bowing and scraping about you now. (Laughter from the gallery.) You want a couple of dozen clerks to read and answer your letters. I hope you will be after making out an easy berth, you know, for me now in my old days. (Laughter.) " Colonel Herbert—So much do I consider myself indebted to the electors of the county, not only for the honor of electing me, but for the kindness with which they have always viewed any efforts of mine, and the forbearance they have exercised towards me, that I really speak the honest truth when -I tell you that, if I consulted my own feelings, every man in Kerry who wanted a birth should have the "very best place I could give him, with the least possible to do and the largest possible salary. (Laughter.) " Con. Lamb — That would just suit my knuckle to a nicety. (Laughter.) " Colonel Herbert—But I am placed in a public and responsible position, in which it is my duty, as far as lam able, to consult the public interests. I must just ask you to consider that if I am guilty of perpetrating a job I disgrace myself, and reflect disgrace on you (hear, hear), because if a man has been without opposition for 10 years your representative it reflects on your choice if it can be fairly said of him, when he comes into an official position, that he has been guilty of a job. Do not for a moment suppose that I am such a fool as to think I am going to inaugurate a petiod of perfect purity, and do not imagine that political and personal considerations will not have their weight. {But I must remind you that the tendency of public opinion has been of late —most properly in my mind— to put down, as far as it is possible, anything like jobs or unfair patronage. Within the last few years a system has been adopted in Dublin of holding up for competition some of the best offices to be .given away by the Secretary. Do not suppose for a moment that I can attempt to put aside that system. Still, do not suppose that it will not be my wish, whenever I can legitimately, to serve any one of my fellowcountrymen; but I entreat of you to remember that I have now the honor to be not only your representative, but that the whole of Ireland has other claims upon me." (Hear, hear.)