Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1895.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4987, 28 March 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1895.

Wi; are not often sorry for a Chinaman, but wo do pity All Lop. He had a distinct grievance, and the police—in this, instance very sensibly —advised him to drop it. But the Ah Lop blood was up, and be wont for bis .foes in profound ignorance of the way in which law and justice works out in this community The result was easy to forsec, the man with n grievance comes out a plucked pigeon and his aggressors triumph! He has gained an experience which will probably last him for the remainder of his existence, but we do not feel proud of the affair. The worst kind of pigeon-plucking appears to be the legal pigeon-plucking, Ah Lop is not the only man who has suffered in this community from this trouble, but we do not care to see a poor foreigner subjected to the process. "Trial by jury" is a timehonoured institution, but can we expect a Chinaman to admire it ?

It was not quite creditable to Masterton that its residents allowed Mr John Bagge to leave the town yesterday, after some twenty years honorable service as Postmaster, without some mark of public esteem. Mr Bngge undoubtedly possessed the respect of the community, for while strictly performing his public duties, he ever evinced a kindly spirit towards all with whom lie came in contact, but on tho other hand lie had too much self-respect to court popularity in any shape or form. Just, perhaps, because he l occupied sjj independent a position and discharged his official duties without fear or favour, there was au

absence of that sentiment of enthusiasm which ■ often gots up testimonials to persons with no sterling- claim to such a distinction. To us it is a great regret to see such an old and honoured resident and friend leaving the town, and we do feel a little ashamed that on such an occasion the older settlers in the placo should not havo recognised the propriety of according to such a man a suitable "soncloff,"