A Passive Resister

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1159, 1 December 1904, Page 3

A Passive Resister

Db, Clifford was oue of thirty passivo rosisters in tho Paddimjton district whoso goods were recently distrained on. On a provions occasion ho was doprivod ot his protest, owing to tho fact that the amount for the education rate was paid anonymously. Whon the noxt rate booame duo ho promised to pay all but 2s, boing the nmount required for education purposas, if tho authorities would promiso not to accept payment from anyono else- This they doeliiiod to do, and so he rofused to pay any of tho rate with tbo result that distraint wns levied for 15 Ills -Id. Tho bailiffs arrived at 25, Sunderland terrace, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Thoy found a large number of things displayed on a tablo to select from, Thoso included four silver trowols. Thoro was also a wedding gift and a miscellaneous collection of silvor articles, and if these were not onough to satisfy tho doniand, Mrs Clifford was proparod to hand ovor a .dressing-bag presented lo her on hor departure with her husband for a tour round tho world. Tho officials wero heartily greeted by Dr, Clifford, who remarked : " You must do your duty and tako what is sullicisnt, you know. Of course, you cannot help this business, You are working for Mr tialhur nod tho Bishops," Two silvor trowels—ono preBouted to Dr Clifford in 1883, when ho wbb President of the Baptist Union, and i on the occasion of hying tho foundation stono at Fermo Par's Baptist Church, and the othor given to him in 1890 for a similar office on behalf of tho Hurlosdcn Baptist Church—wero taken by tho constable. A suggestion was mado that Dr. Clifford's library might bo invaded, bub he protostod, with a laugh, that tho books wero his tools, " and tools, you know, cannot be seized." " I must remind you,'' Dr Clifford remarked," that I do not intend to buy back my goods, so that you must not depond on any high prices boing reached, Have you 6uflioiont to satisfy your claim?" "Yes," replied one of the officials; "I think wo hiivo sufficient hero to satisfy tho amount," Mrs and Miss Clifford then providod brown papi-r and string, so that thu trowels could bo Btnfcly packed into n neat parcel. Looking at the articles still loft to him, tho doctor observed: "Well, at this rate wo still shall have enough to carry us on toe the noxt four or five years." Thon he showed tho officials to tho door, and thoy thanked him for tho ready way in which ho had assisted them in what was evidently an unpleasant diiry. Amongst others distrained on woro Mr, Albert Spioor, J P,, and tho Rov, James Briggn, ministor ot Poiod-skoit Chapid, and a mombor of tho Borough Counc 1, In tho lat'.or case four volumes of" C. [I, Spurgeou's Biography" wero seized,— British Weekly.

"Tho Briton hates the Uner and viccvcrsa, tho Kaffir hates both Boer and Briton and vice vorsa, and everyone loathes the Chinese," runs n letter _ from South Africa " Tho country is outwardly quiet, but trouble may enmo ir. a year whon, according to promise, .'■* me sort of self-government will be con idled. In Capetown alone thue nro I.'IOO uion on relief works. Durbmi is the siiiup, and Johannesburg and Pretoria are inlinitcly worse, for iu addition to tho unemployed Britishers thorc is an army of workiess Boors."