CIVILITY IN HIGH PLACES.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 2264, 12 May 1891, Page 4

CIVILITY IN HIGH PLACES.

An old circular issued from the Colonial Secretary's office at Auckland, and dated October, 1855, is instructive if pot amusing. Here it is: — lam desired by His Excellency the Governor to bring to your notice ia,subject to which he attaches great importance, vis^.j that of impressing on. j jail persons belonging: to your Departs-

menfc, from the highest to the lowest, including messengers, the necessity of treating with the utmost civility and attention all people who may have business to transact with them. This is the more necessary in offices where Natives or emigrants of the humbler classes resort for information, and ignorance or tediousness on their part is not to be considered an excuse for short replies and scant attention to th9tn ; and I am directed to remark that a sour answer from a junior clerk or messenger frequently brings odium on an entire establishment, and the public, who feel that Government Officers are maintained at their expense and for their service, not unfrequently use the plea of economy as a meaios to revenge such affronts. In these cases the punishmeDt too often falls on those who are innocent of the offence, and are deserving of every consideration.