THE TYRANT, THE TOADY, AND THE CONSTABLE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 31, 2 April 1879, Page 2

THE TYRANT, THE TOADY, AND THE CONSTABLE.

I« another column we have reproduced the whole o£ the language indulged in during the discreditable scene which took place between the hon, and gallant Colonel Bbett . and the plebian and j : impertinent Constable Bassfoed, together with the letter of reparation wniten by the Superintendent as a salve to the sensitive feelings of the aristocratic complainant. With regard to the latter, were it not that it contains the signature of "J. Bboham, Superin r tendent," in good black ink, apd. an unauthorised use of his name to such a tlooumeit would be nothing more nor less than forgery, we could never helieye. it to be anything mere than a skit. We will now place Colonel Bbett, the aristocrat, and Jobn Bassfobb, ihe policeman, upon their trials before the bar of public opinion, and ask which of the two has the greater claim to he considered a gentleman. Contrast the overbearing, tyrannical, caddisa .conduct: of the superannuated Bblbtt wilbT^he dignified demeanour of the man over whom he sought to domineer ; the one barging like a very flsh-wife, and boune ling like a veritable bully; the other calm and collected, never failing in respect to his accuser, or losing command of himself. To our mind, the dignity o? the reproof administered by the ignorant pqjiceinau to his gentler manly assailant will rarely find, a parallel, and would amply go ' to prove that, as fai* as fittingness for their rela'tive positions went, the Constable might well change with iha Colonel :—" If you don't salute me, Tfix have you kicked out of the j?oi<oe." "Then, I decline to salute on tnoae grounds." •' Then, you won't salu/e me ? " " Your conduct is most unbecoming as a J.P. and a gentleman, a nd"! decline to salute you." The foregpirig^is the issue upon which the case rests. The accuser, acting the. part of a low and brutal tyrant ; theaccused^meetlpg'tUe ruffianly conduct and langu,age with a calm dignity and freedom from retort, neve» allowing his feelings to get the better aP 1 his discretion. For all this, .Tobn Bashfobd has been pun'sjhed ijri^h the ftno of a pound, while the Hon. James Db Renzje Bbett has Tjeceived an a,pplogy of such, a crawling character- as must have satisfied even his e^aoting nature. Taken on its merits, the. letter- of Super- , intendent Bboham is certainly a master"piece of its kind,, and proves the writer to be a perfect a,dept'iu official sycophancy and toadyism. B.u,t outside of the matter betyfeeaConstahleßtA.sHFOßD and his accuser, the little episode and Vae fiaa) result opens up a question which it would ho well io, considerv It is quite apparent that Colonel B^ett was not upon the bench when th,e alleged insult took plioe-^in fact, we believe he was outside the Court-house —-and consequently was not acting in hia. of&cUl ch^pte-r^ the. iiulinj» of' the mgi'stratevthen^who. fined the Constable the p,recede.nt ia established that a.ny policeman meeting a J.P. at any houy ojf, (be d*y or-nigbt, $o matter .where the place may lie, is \ guilty of a misdemeanor and liable, to be placed, un^er" arrest unless ho gives the orthodox military salute. At a rough guess ih^re are between fifteen hundred and two) thousand representatives of the iv Great " tfnpaid >K in the Colony, many of whom are content with honor of attaching the itustgnia of their ofllce to their panies^ithpute^e^ gracing the hench with. their- presence, and we ask, is every riew-ol^um polioeman to become aware of the fact bjfjntuitioiii .The .picture drawn ft 1 ;no:;dpubt sypreniely absurd, but the stern fact nevertheless ' remains that it lies tri'the power of any talkwitted old 1 noodle who disgrnces tlie benoh, to stand upon his dignity at any time, and^glve an ofScer Into custody for ;"i.;4.r sjipposed. affront. ' ;^lt is a bad; rule that will not work Wth. ways, a^d it Justices are supposed fa carry into _ private the divinity wWoa hedges in thei^ ofßce in public, then» we say, let theii* aotions be in perfect keeping with so grave a trust. Let them srlidiou sly ig-nore>the wiles of. euchre or Yankee grab j give not way to the seductions of brandy-^nd-,soda ; and keep a r^ein upon their ton^pes and tempos, so -that' their JanjKualej w,oulH not 'disgrace, the Seat p€ upon which they [are ever and j#ways sup^ posed to be placed, Put ifre precedent? Mq. jmstw>' ae4 compel e^ police

officer in the metropolis to recognise by salute every J.P. which passes him, and you will have old Jones, the huxter. man, who is one of the " Great Unpaid," parading the streets until the officers' arms assume the regularity of motion of a pumpifaaudle. - It is about time such ridiculous tomfoollery was knocked on the head, and ornamental members of the Bench of the Colonel Bbett stamp sent to the N right-about. The men who- do the haToV-seorlc, are not those who travel upon their dignity,, or become sticklers for. obsequiousness. It as only men of his kind whose faces are never seen unless upon special occasions, who held ridiculously-inflated ideas of the dignity Qf the position — a dignity which they sadly lack the ability to maintain. The list of Justices is badly in want of a pruning, and certainly the very first name to which the knife should be applied should be that of the egotistical old noodle, the Hon. Jambs Pb Eenzie Beett.