MR. WARDEN SIMPSON AND THE RIGNEY PETITION, &c.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 359, 27 May 1874, Page 3

MR. WARDEN SIMPSON AND THE RIGNEY PETITION, &c.

The Mount Benger correspondent of the "Evening Star" communicates to that journal the following particulars regarding the above petition :—: — Our grand excitement, our all-engross-ing topic, is Mr. Warden Simpson. That gentleman since his appointment as visiting magistrate has been wicked enongh to decide all cases on their merits, without consulting those distinguished citizens whose interests, should be the special care of any official visiting Mount Benger. Worse still, he has not divided his custom j with due impartiality among the various hotels, and has thus excited the enmity of all the pubs, whom he does not patronise. Hence public meetings and general indignation. Mr. Simpson may consider himself conclusively sat upon, although I presume he will have to retain his seat on the bench until some Colonial Frankenstein manufactures a Mount Benger Magistrate to order. Impartial justice don : t do for us : like the' Tipperary man in " Punch," we want a judge who will "lane a little." Among the numerous changes so absurdly brought about by the miserable little clique who have made Mount Benger a laughing-stock and reproach against an upright and able public servant, is a petition supposed to emanate from a man called -Rigney . This precious effusion is published in the local paper, and I think it is grossly libellous, and know it to be grossly untrue. It is only an act, of justice to make public the real facts of the case, which are both simple and straightforward. -. - Woodhouse, a man with capUaL bought a half interest in an extendJfclaim at the Burse Shoe Bend, the otjier half being held equally by Stevenson and lligney, men with no capital. Ai the time of the purchase the weekly earnings Were something like six or seven shillings, but Mr. Woodhouse introduced new machinery, and raised the average to from forty to fifty shillings per week. After laying out a considerable amount of money, he found his operations clogged by the obatructiveness and want of enterprise of his mates, while the amount of wages he had to pay to representatives of his two shares made him a continual loser. He 'Accordingly offered to sell at a prioe that -would about pay him, and was met by a similar offer from men who were known to owe everything to his capital. The result was an appeal to the Warden, and ;he dissolution common justice demanded was granted, after a careful and impartial consideration of the case. I was present in the Court during a considerable part of the proceedings, and can bear witness to Mr. Simpson's impartiality and candor under great provocation. Constant attempts were made to occupy the time of the Court by the introduction of matters foreign to the case, and to waste the limited time at the Warden's disposal by private squabbles, and of course these attempts were very properly suppressed. As an instance of how evidence in support of the petition has been got up, 1 may state that I received a letter from the petitioner deliberately asking me to manufacture a report of the proceedings. I have preserved that letter, and if the Government are fouls en-jugh to waste the public money by granting an inquiry, it will bo duly forthcoming.