The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JULY 1.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 171, 1 July 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, TUESDAY, JULY 1.

Among many other measures of importance which have been necessarily retarded by the sudden dissolution of Parliament which has just taken place, not the least regrettable is the matter in connection with the reduction of Major Ropata’s pension. But although we could have wished to see the matter rectified, and the amende honorable made without any loss of time, yet we feel convinced that the sting occasioned by Mr. Bryce’s treatment has already been more than compensated for by calling forth such strong expressions of sympathy, and respect, from all the settlers of this district who best know the gallant old chief’s nature, and which conclusively proves, that though a parsimonious Government may have become unmindful of his past services, such is far from the case with the general public. At the time when the slight was first put upon the old warrior, and his spirit was much chafed and troubled thereat, there was not wanting those who insinuated that the action of the Government was the result of certain ramifications in the Native land interests which had led up to a point of contact antagonistic to some well-known agents of the notorious land company, and had been brought about as a coercive measure by interested parties. That these insinuations were as false and base as the natures which prompted them, has been amply demonstrated by the prompt and sympathetic action of his old companions in arms, who have both witnessed the bravery and shared in the dangers of most of the exploits which have rendered Ropata’s name historic. In ruminating over this matter, and setting aside this last cause of complaint, one cannot but come to the conclusion that the services of the chief have been better recognised than those of some of his pakeha comrades, and were it not for the unaccountable density shown by the Native Department in making this recent paltry reduction, the Government of the Colony could not be consistently taxed with ingratitude towards the old chief, After the warm expressions of regard and cordial assurances which the Major has received on all hands, we have little doubt but what he will patiently abide the delay occasioned by late events, and rest content until his friends can again move in the matter.

The bankruptcy of Mr. T. E. R. Bloomfield undoubtedly exhibits many features which would fittingly “point a moral and adorn a tale,” and his somewhat broad examination before the late meeting of creditors proved most conclusively that he has acted in many instances in such utter disregard of all honesty and straightforwardness of purpose as to render himself deserving of the most stringent punishment which the provisions of the Bankruptcy Act permits. But it is not our intention to pursue this feature of the case, which rests entirely with the official assignee and the creditors, but rather to call attention to a few other bearings in connection with it. The bankruptcy discloses the old, old tale so often seen enacted in life’s drama, of a thoughtless and weak young man falling into bad company, and speedily learning the vices of his associates without at the same time acquiring any of their experience and cunning. The very racehorses upon which he squandered so much, were only run for the edification and profit of a ring of sharpers, who were always to be seen hovering around their gulled victim at all race meetings, but who are nevertheless looked upon and recognised by our shoddyites as gentlemen. Then again his examination also shows what a tool he has been in the hands of certain business men, who should blush far more than the bankrupt for their share in certain discreditable transactions which have been disclosed, and one can only regret that the law is inoperative in reaching and punishing the pawnshop morality disclosed in the following evidence “ I (Bloomfield) signed the mortgage of the property to the Bank, I think, the day before I filed. I might have signed it on the morning that I filed. .... I don’t think Matthews gave me any money I might have got a pound or two as a further advance for doing it.” After reading the above it is plain that there is far dirtier business carried on in this town than that undertaken in the interests of the Borough by Mr. Burch, and which no amount of ablution can cleanse from, as it soils the soul far more than the body. Then the recent handing over of the large sum of /’i,200, “on an old debt,” leads to a very shrewd surmise, and no doubt many creditors feel somewhat curious as to the nature of this “ old debt,” and would like to know more about it if possible. There are undoubtedly many connected with this bankruptcy who deserve far more condemnation than the pliant tool whom they have helped to fleece, while at the same time assisting him to cheat others.

The disgusting details relating to the treatment of the condemned woman Mrs. Liffley (who poisoned her husband at Lincoln, England, and was hanged on May 26) cannot fail to cause a thrill of horror in all those who peruse the sickening though brief description of

the same, and must prove a strong argument in favor of the abolition of capital punishment by the unscientific and clumsy method of strangulation as now adopted. It would appear that the ferocious monster who carried out the last sentence of the law, and who is named Binns, experienced what is quite common in many such cases, viz., some slight resistance by his victim to the pinioning process, which generally takes place immediately the unhappy prisoner emerges from the cell, and before proceeding towards the scaffold. This resistance when shown is usually quickly and quietly overcome with the assistance of a couple of resolute warders ; but in this instance the brutal hangman became enraged, and felling his unhappy victim to the ground, seized her by the throat and choked her so that her face became livid. The occurrence has caused much excitement in London, where the matter has been taken up by the Press, which demands the dismissal of the monster from his disgusting office. The exclusion of the Press from executions was warmly welcomed by those members of the same whose painful duty it was to witness and chrouicle the details of the sickening spectacles often enacted at the same, but we cannot deny that humanity imperatively demands the presence of the reporter, as it would effectually prevent the enactment of such a scene as the above, which is not alone a disgrace to humanity, but also a blot upon our boasted “ high state of civilization.”