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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 28, 24 January 1877, Page 2

In a recant issue we said that Mr. Abernethy had been, as we were informed, summarily dismissed from the Civil Service without any cause being assigned for such dismissal. We find we have been slightly m error. There ivas a cause assigned, and a serious one too if it had been the real one, but it was not. We have seen a letter from Mr Passmore to Mr Abernethy, dated the 23rd October last, m which the latter gentleman was informed that, m consequence of the unsatisfactory state of his accounts, chiefly as regarded the goods-traffic, his services would be dispensed with; that he was expected to give Mr Moinet all possible assistance m taking over the management of the line; and that on reporting himself m Wellington he should receive a month's salary m lieu of the usual notice of dismissal. We-Jiave also seen an ofn-

cial certificate signed by. Mr Fitzgerald, the Commissioner of Audit, and dated the 16th January, 1877, which document certifies that Mr Abernethy'e accounts were found to be correct, and acquits him of all indebtedness to the Government. The cause assigned for the dismissal, therefore, was no cause, and yet the dismissal is persisted m without any other reason being alleged for it. Such are the facts, and though we have felt it our duty to give them publicity, we deem it superfluous to comment upon them, for they speak for themselves. Our Wellington contemporaries, not generally remarkable for a very great readiness to confirm one another's statements, agree m representing the Civil Service as being m a most unsatisfactory condition, so far as efficiency is concerned. We, rural outsiders, can hardly refuse to believe their testimony, and believing it we naturally ask if such cases as this of Mr Abernethy be of frequent occurrence m the Service. We hope our Representatives will ask this question next session.