Disendowment of Tom-Cats.

Bruce Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 714, 2 July 1875, Page 3

Disendowment of Torn-Cats.

The London correspondent of the 1 Dundee Advertiser' writes :— " The taxpayers of this country who feared that the Tory Government might be guilty of the extravagance recommended by its orators will read the following story and rejoice : There is to be retrenchment in the Money Order Office of the sort which seriously affects estimates. It seems that in this Office the nation has for some years employed three torn cats to catch the mice! The' cost of the keep of these animals has been the cauße of several rows. The Liberal Government allowed 5d a week for each cat, but the person whose duty it was to see that the mousers were properly fed found that 5d was too little, and in orthodox fashion implored the Treasury for an increased rate. The I Treasury granted another penny a week [for each Thomas, and this the Liberal Government ungrudgingly paid ; but the Tories, having overhauled the Liberal estimates, have discovered that to pay Gd a week for a cat is nothing less than ruinous. A circular has accordingly been issued to the department in which it is gravely set forth that, in the opinion of the Postmaster- General, the duties of the three mousers may be efficiently discharged by an improved mousetrap baited with cheese parings. To test the value of the Postmaster-General's belief, a terrific mousetrap of modern inveution has been forwarded to the Money Order Office. If it answers its purpose, the tom-cats will be disestablished and disendowed, and the State will be saved at least a shilling per week. Evidently men and mice are in these days ruled by a most economical Government.'