HONESTY AND CIVILITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 169, 16 July 1908, Page 6

HONESTY AND CIVILITY.

*• ___XJU_EED OF PUBLIC SERVANTS. "TAKE OPE YOUR HAT." (By Telegraph.—Parllamentarv Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. ' _ -Lost ~week Mr Baume complained in the House that the Official Assignee of We___ton -had been discourteous in his -behaViour to a Hebrew witness named Zyman by ordering him to take off bis hat when being sworn, despite the fact "*£_a'f""Mr 'Z_?man bad protested against this breach of custom. This afternoon tbe Eon. Mr McGowan read a reply from the Official Assignee, in which that public servant denied any intentional discourtesy, ■and stated that he was not aware "that Mr Zymaii-'w-s a Hebrew. Mr Laurenson said he was nc 1- satisfied with the Official- -Assignee's answer. The iPress reports showed that Mr Zyman bad declared bis religion, and the Assignee's reply had been "the order, "Take off your I*m"t. *> "One thing"! wffl always endeavour to "ipsist ■unnn," added Mr Laurenbc_,~ 'fis that public servants, next to honesty, w_l observe the strictest courtesy __i_eir dealings with the public" __r Poole also -contended that tbe Te_giotts -convictions of all people should be observed, and, while cases of discourtesy .were rare, they must nevertheless insist 4hatthe public-should at all times receive courteous treatment from me_abers of She Civil Service. Messrs Calvin, Hardy, and R. MoKenpersonally of their knowledge fc£~_he"t?"n_ci_l"- Assignee, and gave--him BE excellent character. Mr E. E. Baume said he had brought this matter up, believing that the Press SepoTts were correct, and the reports dearly indicated that the man had protested- against being compelled to swear _on_rary to custom. It was hardly like*{y this story would have been concocted hy the reporters. He had absolutely no ffeehng in this matter.; he simply considered it bis duty, not only to his own co-Teligionists, but to every other religious sect, to call attention to the- matter. It was a well-known fact that members of the Hebrew race were not difficult to single out, and he took it for granted that the man Zyman was no exception to thp rule. The Assignee should before _a*ve recognised that Zyman was a Hebrew. Ma Baume added that he had no j object to serve nther tban appealing i against any discourtesy on the part of | a public servant. The Hon. -las. McGowan said he i thought Mr Baume was perhaps a little ] hypersensitive over the matter. i Cries j of "Ko."( It was to the Assignee's credit j that he was approved of by the business ! pnople of Wellington. Mr Izard: He is nothing of the kind, j The Minister for Justice concluded by j •saving that Zyman's soUcitor should have ■asked that bis client should be sworn' under the Hebrew custom.