The Wairarapa Daily THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1891.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3835, 18 June 1891, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1891.

Once upon a time, not very long ago, according to a mytlws now current in Wellington, the accomplished but microscopic Dr Fitcbett desired a Naboth's vineyard in the neighborhood of the Gorge. What be wanted it for is not exactly known, but according to the mythoi he was on speculation bent. The sesfion was open to selection, and to increase bis chance of becoming the successful selector, the mytfos declares ihii the amiable doctor induced two brother M.H.B.'s, Messrs Anderson and Ward, to also put in further applications in their own names for his benefit, thus securing for himself chances in the ballot, a very reasonable'number for so diminutive an applicant. His ingfiwuty, so raps tibemytfm, was rewarded, and- one of biß dummies/ ■ Anderson, secured *'«e jjirize, Npw the Ward, wbo, aglteS as the than the Postmaster-Oein.. ' **" <ci a respected member of. the present Cabinet. Imagine the feelings of the Colonial Treasurer, after spending hundreds of pounds in hunting an imaginary duur-zny, to find within his own bosom even a mythical dummy. Fancy the consternation of that angel of light, the Minister of Lands, at discovering that even a mythical colleague of his own had been playing that horrid game of dummy, out of the denouncement of which, he, the virtuous minister, had made so much capital. It is not given to mortals to know what steps Ministers did take when the mytJm was revealed to them. All we can surmise is that they laid their injunction on Mr A. then: delegate at the Waste /Lands Board, to hush the matter up at any cost. It is certain that Mr Hogg, who had displayed in the Eatsey case a resolute desire to obtain a 'conviction, who, so the mythos says, wrote the secret letter which has been so much talked about, and caused a dozen useless witnesses from the bush to enjoy, a pleasure trip in .Wellington at s the public expense -turned completely round in the Anderson case and acted the part of counsel for the accused. If tb.ey believed what Mr Anderson had bold them, there was, he argued; no ground for enquiry, therefore it was desirable to accept his .explanation. Now people at first tnbugtt that the rumour about Messrs Fitchett, Anderson and Ward dummying a section was a pure mythos, but the extraordinary and friendly interest displayed by Mr Hogg on behalf

of Mr Anderson is so phenomenal tbat they bare come to the conclusion that there must be a little raodicnm of truth in the myth. If so, it was a foolish thing of Mr Hogg, or of the Government he represented, to treat the case as festive clerics used to treat their offsprings in the bad old days, viz., to drown them the moment they were: christened. In this instance there will be a post mortem, and if there has been concealment, if there has been perjury, if there has been foul play, we shall know ! tt will certainly be necessary to ascertain whether a member of the present Ministry has either committed, aided, or abetted dummying 1