The Suspension of George Thorne, Jun.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 50, 17 May 1884, Page 3

The Suspension of George Thorne, Jun.

Ouk Wellington correspondent telegraphs to day :—": — " The 'Post' on Friday publishes the two telegrams from George Thorne, jun., to Joseph Mackay, which are the cause of the latter's suspension. They have been alroady publislied in Auckland." These telegrams, it will be remembered, requested Mackay to losort to certain disreputable devices for the purpose of "bluff-ing-off" two Victorian gentlemon who wore travelling through the colony with a view to establishing branches of another Life Association Otlieo in the colony. We commented in very plain terms upon the transaction at the time, and although the Government appear to have .shielded Mr Thorne for a while, the force of public opinion will tell in the long run. The suspension, however, will' hardly prevent Parliament from inquiring into the dangerous infringement of its privileges which was perpetrated last session by the renewal of this officer's agreement for the obvious purpose of defeating the anticipated result of a Parliamentary inquiry affecting his salaiy and office which had been ordered by resolution of the House of Representatives. A more wilful and reckless deiiance of the authority of Parliament has never been attempted in any country governed by representative institutions, and the Legislature cannot with safety t© its authority over the administration pass it over. The new agreement has proved a source of trouble to its authors, for by virtue of its provisions m c believe Mr Thorne disputes the legality of his present suspension The office held by Mr Thorne is, so far as we are aware, the first instance in New Zealand of the adoption of the Turkish system of farming a public department. Mr Thome's administration recalls all the delightful features of the benignant rule of the Pasha. He was bent on making money, and the officers under him were used as instruments for the attainment of this one end in life. Mr W. B. Mursell, formerly a Government Insurance agent, and now district agent of the Prudential Mutual in Auckland, has placed a letter at our disposal which almost rivals the famous Mackay telegrams. In it Mr Thorne says : — "I hear that Mr Morrice A. Black, Actuary of the Mutual Provident Society, has gone across to your parts by the coach which left Christchurch. He is very anxious to get agents, and offering high rates of commission. Now, although I have treated you as liberally as Ipossibly can, lam bound down not to pay more than £ per cent. Ido not wish to stand in the way of any man bettering himself. If Black will advance you £100 to square up with me and give you 20 to 25 per cent, do not let any feeling of indebtedness stand in your way." After complimenting Mr Mursell on the "fine lot of proposals you obtained in Christchurch," the letter goes on to say :- " Lyall, our secretary, is 'saving to work the Colonial Mutual, they advance him somewhere about £300 to begin with, and the A.M.P.S. advanced £120 to Mr Clapcott to work for them some time ago. At all events, let me know if you have an interview with Black. Canvass him/or life assurance in an innocent manner!! Let me know the result." It would seem, therefore, that the adroit Superintendent of Agents was not averse to his officers leaving the Government employ to join a rival office if he could see money for himself in the transfer. The inquiry into the administration of the Insurance Department, if made thoroughly, will, we believe, form one of the most^ instructive features of the approaching session,