HOW A CREDITOR OF THE TUAPEKA HOSPITAL MAY BE SERVED.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 72, 26 June 1869, Page 3

HOW A CREDITOR OF THE TUAPEKA HOSPITAL MAY BE SERVED.

(To the Editor of the Tnapeka Times.)

Sir, As several reports as to the cause of my having to sue the Hospital Committee are going the rounds, I will, with your permission, give the correct one, and also how the debt for which I sued was contracted. ' About seven weeks back, one of the members of the visiting committee called at my place, and stated that some work was required to be done at the Hospital. He wished to know if I could go up with him the next morning. I answered in the affirmative. He did not come according to appointment, and I thought no more about it until I saw him some days after, when he mentioned the matter again, and said he could not leave his place to go and show me what was required, but that Dr. Stewart would instruct me what to do. I saw Dr. Stewart, and mentioned the matter to him, and he explained what work was required. I sent a man to the Hospital, and he did all the work that was pointed out. I then sent in my account to the visiting committee, two of whom went and looked at the work. They examined the account, and signed it as being correct. After that, I got an order, signed in the usual manner, viz., by the President, two members of the visiting committee, and the Secretary. I paid the same into my account at the Bank of New Zealand. About three hours after it was paid in, I received a notice that it had been dishonoured. The order was endorsed as follows :—": — " This order cannot be paid until Mr. Mears gives his authority for erecting sheds : the visiting committee have not given any. — (Signed) W. E. Farrer, Treasurer Tuapeka G. F. Hospital." I mentioned the matter to several members of committee, and they all advised me to BU6j which J did. I sued

those persona whose namea were on the order. When the case came on, and they were called on to plead, they one and all pleaded indebted in behalf of the Hospital. The Magistrate reserved his decision, not stating when he would give it. I, of course, thought he would give me notice of the time he intended to deliver judgment, but the first official intimation I received was from the Clerk of the Court, to the effect that judgment had been given for the defendants, and requesting me to pay the cost of Court. Now, sir, T entertained the idea that after the defendants had pleaded indebted the verdict would have been in my favour. I was also silly enough to imagine that when I received the order, and settled my account, the tranaction was ended ; and so it would have been had any other member of the (i was going to say community) Hospital Committee been Treasurer. It is well known that the gentleman who holds that office at present is very thin-skinned, and as I had the presumption on two or three occasions to comment rather severely upon some of his acts, the sore that was then caused was never healed ; hence the cause of the order not being honoured. Now, sir, I think you and the public at large will agree with me, that if one person has an animus against another, he is not justified in taking advantage of Viia official position to vent his spleen, and by that means not only do the individual whom he has the animus against an injury, but also bring the institution with which he is connected into contempt and disrepute. In conclusion, sir, I must express my regret that we were not enlightened as to the grounds on which the KM. arrived at so extraordinary a decision. I hope that your report of the proceedings at the next meeting of the Hospital Committee will contain the particulars of the decision arrived at in the case by that impartial tribunal, the Tuapeka G. F. Hospital Committee. — I am &c, W. Mbars. Lawrence, June 24th, 1869.

(To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times.) Sib, — I think it is high time the attention of the authorities was called to the Sunday liquor traffic which takes place in all the public houses in the district, and I refer more particularly to Wetherstones, No difference seems to be made between Sunday and working day save that the front door is shut on the Sunday and kept open on other days. I should like to know whether the police are aware of these facts, and if so; why a remedy is not applied. — I am, &c, — A Resident.