CONSCIENCE-STRICKEN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8873, 6 November 1907, Page 4

CONSCIENCE-STRICKEN.

The State is considered by many persons as fair game for exploitation, and it is doubtless deprived of a good deal of revenue by devious practices on the part of its despoilers. It is remarkable, however, that it is mainly the petty del'rauder who in the end suffers from qualms of conscience and makes restitution, and 1 fhere is no record that even one of these has ever become so completely honest as to attach his or her name to the note covering the restored money. A little while ago a man—presumably—sent in to the Government a sum of five shillings of which he had deprived the revenue many years ago. It is to be hoped the act of restitution paved his way to the pearly gates. That silver crown of which he had robbed the State here below should ensure for him a golden crown in a larger and better state in the sweet by-and-bye. On Monday last another of these consciencestricken dominionists [forwarded to the Customs Department £1 -Is. He didn't state it was interest or principal on his illicit gains, or how long he had been bowed down by the weight of woe of his unexpiated offence. He followed the usual practice of withholding his name and address, even as "a guarantee of good faith," as the newspapers say. He' was too modest to seek the bubble reputation attaching to the sinner that repenteth. „ He

simply stated that his action was "prompted by an uneasy conscience." Sweet are the uses of a conscience!