Our Auckland Letter.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3713, 18 November 1880, Page 2

Our Auckland Letter.

(FBOM OUB OWN COBHEBPOHDBNT.)

Auckland,

Yesterday.

AX ANXIOUS OFFICIAL

When the Civil Service Commission sat in Auckland, no official leemed more anxious to give evidence to that body than Jlr. Cotter, the Registration and Returning Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Stamps and Examiner of Titles. When the report was laid on the table of the House and extracts made from it and forwarded to Auckland it caused an amount of comment in official circles very unfavorable to Mr Colter. Subsequently it leaked put that he had a longing eye to the position of Deputy Commissioner under the Property Assessment Act, and the winding up of the Land Tax Department ; but Mr Cotter's expectations in this respect were not realised, and latterly he directed his " engineering " abilities to another subject, I presume keeping in view his desire to remain in Auckland. When it was known that Mr Willcooks, the late Registrar of the Supreme Court, was about retiring on his pension our indefatigable public servant made a formal application to get the vacancy, but of course the then Deputy Registrar had' such strong claims for the position that it was given to him. Your readers are no doubt aware that the Registrar, Mr Hudson Williamson, is anon of the late lamented John Williamson, pur former Superintendent, and being the oldest Deputy Registrar in the colony before his promotion, his claims could not be ignored. I do not find fault with Mr Cotter getting a rise, but he should recollect that he has three very lucrative billets it present, and that be should let well enough alone. A gentle reminder to Mr Cotter is what is intended; let him take it in that light, and not be over anxious, otherwise he may run " a muck."

BTBONG PA.MIAUTT AS9< FAVORITISM. I do not know who directs the employ* ment of clerks in the Property Assess* ment office in Auckland, butt their engage* ment is in strange contract with the positive promises of Ministers that deserving persons whose iserriees were dispensed with consequent upon reduc* tions would get first preference in the matter of employment. I? am led to the • remarks by having a little peep into the new importations in the office of the Property Department here. I had better take them seriatim, in order that the public may properly appreciate how the little oracle is worked. The most prominent figure in the whole number at pre-1 sent employed is that of Mr Seamen, in his " beautiful" smoLing cap. This gen* tleman had the valuation of the whole County of Waitemata, at an allowance of of £160, and as he hes the collection of ail the local rates, your readers can under ;land that it was pretty plain sailing so fer as his routine duty was concerned His valuation is now complete, and both frnuelf and his assistant —his own son—step into a billet at the at the rate of six pounds weekly.. To properly appreoiat j Mr Seaman's position I must tell you taut he is the gazetted Registration and Keturaing Officer for the electoral district of Wait nut a. By the Ac. he is obliged to be at his office on certain fixed deys of each week, end for whioh duty lie receives a salavy, but at these times if you require t > see him you will find only his loocm tenent, his daughter, totting aid so on, wlrling the official away hours until closing times come' roi«ad. Unkind people say that there nro vevy gcod grounds for Mr Seaman's employment, as it is asserted that his i valuation of Mr William John Hunt's i property at the lake is in strange contrast with the valualioi put upon it by Mr John Hurst and Co., the owners, the value, set down being at the modest sum of twenty pounds a a acre, although maay exnerti assert that the value is nearer sixty pounds per acre. But I will pass on and deal with come of the other gentlemen. There is Mr Gudgeon, who is laken oa outside of all official routine— even Mr Sperrey—-by orde..* of the gallant Mojor Atkinson; there is Mr Spine, by direction of Mr Dick; over, theu a person named Duke by request of Mr vfhitaker, through pressure of Mr Willy Swanson, but why go oa, ai the thing seems so admirably arranged for tbe parties '"aterested. Possibly (he worst us: 1 man in the whole office is Mr Bqdman, the trutkfni chief clerk. He is a gveat mm for speculation, esfocially in m|Din», and having got into the " wcoi " ! fe quiedy eud°avored to get out again, but the eocrs* he adopted was not satisfactory. Jp his' great desire for the welfare of. the piblic interests, he took a quantity of ifork; home itfter office hours to complex, aod in his usual neat style this wrs finished, and in uue (oorse he sent m his voioher for the extra and necessary <|!efip»l aswslance, but strange fJ say when tnii Veuchei 1 re^chr I ihe. head of the dsFrtq^ti tide usual routine minutinr* was adopted and his data shelved, i ihongßt Mr 8o#: ey, tbe Commissioner, hud a heart, b»t a* it is an Ol::so one, I suppo c it could sot bf moved, and it is recorded that this, iflspor* taat service was never yet settled. Nefee mind Mr Bodman, you have got ypur prejudices, and in dne coarse they well bear print.

BQUMZING THB BAW-BpIS, . A youthful gentleman i oaneoted with one of on? meretant princes had an unfbrtunato mishap the other day. He got sweat 01 a lovely servant gal, and in turn promised her all good things— mari'iage, a comfortable borne, servants' to wat on her ad lib, a suburban v-Ua, regular trip ;o the water-side md so oq, but all came to notling until the eloping seese, when he had to musier he neiiful —£100 st jriing— and then, well the young ladj cleared out to ta cared Hot by inieresling friends in an adjacent district. The young lady was brought up under the fostering care of a master of languages in one of our public educational establishments, bat whether she had the opportunities or not of reading too much of Lord Byron's works I er.nnot say, suffice it that the mishap was found out.. The young spruce had to square the natter, and for the present eren silent gossip is sileac d orer the matter. In a quiet way tha thing has bean generally talked of, i otherwise I should feel, delicate in allud-: ing to it; for had the lady only " got' hold " of the elder brother, she would be able to squeeze a few hundreds out of him, even should he have to operate on some of his lucky mining investments. Auokland is getting rather noted for scandal, so I must not offend the lady readers of your journal by going; into other "interesting" details in which they are in no way concerned or feel interested.