SI. SPRAGG'S SILLER.

NZ Truth, Issue 132, 28 December 1907, Page 3

SI. SPRAGG'S SILLER.

FEARED BURGLARS WOULI) PIRATE HIS PLATE. Uses Parliament as 1 a Storehouse) A Moral That Went Home. When. Silas Spragg suspended the strain upon his singularly, susceptible sensibilities, at the close of the "session sittings, he swore sternly that he wouldn't sup sorrow during his sojourn -at the seaside (or wherever ho went), and he met a slumbering suspicion of silent burglars and fire m his absence by depositing his family plate m Parliament Buildings. Silas is chief of ( 'Hansard" staff, which accounts for the fact that the- Buildings were accessible to him. though Why the blazes Silas should be permitted,'to use. Government property as a ■storeh'ouseNwliile the rest of the public have to take their chances out m the wide, wide' world, is probably capable of explanation by Silas, even if .that" explanation will not be deemed • entirely satisfactory by 7 . the superiors of J Silas. This impartial iournkr'dbesn'.t. desire to express -its gratification at ,the loss sustained by Sprang -in -the; fire the other day/ but being a« publication V whose ethical conceptions are on a high moral plane it desires to point a severe moral to Spragg, ityho/ was dishonestly 'making: us^trof^ public property at the time, and the destruction of his metal ■ dishes was:iindoubtedly ,; a judgment from heaven upon him for his fractUre of . the moral, code. Who is Sjira^i anyway, that he should . be permitted". to. mse what - isn't* his'n, and dodge the alternative of spending a trumpery sum that Wbul'd hay£ SJEOUJtED HIM, SAFE DEPOSITS There is too much of this business of the bloated public servant who ref gards Government buildings as, his particular property, simply because ■lie happens to toil, for a living m them. On second thoughts this paper withdraws the word "toil" and substitutes nothing therefor, but leaves thie^ sentence; as a missing word comr petition^ with no prizes attached., 1$ everybody m the community (who has just as much right as Spragg) had brought his valuables to. the political gasometer before he, departed for Kaiwarra for the holidays, the, edifice and grounds would have bulged with plates, and ' frying pans . ahd eight-day clocks, and things 'Would have . overflowed into Sydney' and Mblesworth streets and greatly hampered the brigadesmen m "the execution of their duty. " IfJSpragg was too mean to pay- storage on his plate m at safe and reliable place he should have left the articles m his own home, instead of committing a trespass on public property. AsSpragg's duties m the -building were closed, this paper, isn't sure if a charge .of breaking and entering might not be preferred against, him ; but under whatever heading "the offence is classed, its commission calls for inquiry, and, the consensus, of. opinion-^ thatj "It, serves agg righ fc. " Who knows a - but an incendiary person took also to Turnself the privilege claimed by Silas am» stored a'_ slow-burning ■ combust-J r oic m the Native interpreter's ioom-^hn e hcj too, went to Ngahauranga for his holidays? If is really not. astonisliin& that a building opcKi^o all end siinchyicirio what they ".^vr.t'd well pleased with should g<i. up m smoke