A CONVENIENT MEMORY

Observer, Volume 5, Issue 131, 17 March 1883, Page 419

A CONVENIENT MEMORY

A good story is going the rounds about the Hon. T. Dick. When he visited Napier the Mayor got a splendid turn-out at a considerable discount on the ground that it was for the good of the city, and he drove the Minister over the town, pointing out the very numerous* wants of the place. Mr Dick appeared to be deeply interested in all these matters, expressed his earnest desire to do justice to so flourishing a city, and promised to bring its requirements before the Cabinet at the earliest opportunity. To this end he made copious memoranda in his note-book. The worthy Mayor was not slow to inform the burgesses of what he had clone, and received showers of congratulations for his energy and tact. But after a considerable lapse of time, as nothing was done, the Mayor wrote to Mr Dick reminding him of the notes he had taken. The reply was that a most unfortunate accident had occurred, Mr Dick has somehow lost his notebook. The demon housemaid, with her usual recklessness, had used the precious notes to light the fire. We have heard of many Ministerial excuses for non-fulfilment of promises, but this of Mr Dick's strikes us as being one of the deepest and most original of all. After this we shall expect to see successive Ministries use the same ingenious plea for negligence whenever they find it convenient to escape from the performance of rash promises made on the ere of an election, or during the temporary excitement of an afterdinner speech.