THE TESTIMONIAL NUISANCE. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 110, 10 May 1894, Page 4

THE TESTIMONIAL NUISANCE. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib— A correspondent in your last night's issue presumably a clerk in the Government Buildings, refers to a circular asking Government officials to subsqribe to a wedding present for one of the Minister's daughters. He oompares it to the Ballance Memorial subscription, Ac, and combines them all under the head of blaokmail on the unfortunate terror-bewildered clerks. Heaven help the poor clerks ! — they are so raoked to death with finding money for subscriptions for all sorts of purposes that it is no wonder the very tradesmen of the city complain, alike as to their want of money and their disinclination to pay their aocounts. But is it not curious that the unfortunate Ballance Memorial Fund could not get enough subscription money oukof these self-same philanthropic clerkß to pay the postage stamps ou the oirculars inviting thorn to subaoribe. lam afraid your correspondent belongs to the Yankee order of " mean whites." Nothing is more fitting than that the great family tie of marriage should receive the widest recognition at the hands of all those conneoted with the contracting parties and their principal relatives. It appears to me to be very creditable that one or two clerks in the Building should, actuated by this feeling, havo addressed a memorandum to their Commissioners on the Bubjeot. lam sorry that the wretched mean spirit of your correspondent will throw a damper upon his highminded colleagues, and greatly diminish the value of any gift whioh may be made. To those who know the Highland character, the feelings of the Minister in question oan be imagined when he read your correspondent's letter. I know him to be the last man in the world to accept any compliment on behalf of his daughter which he did not believe to be true and heartfelt. I am, &c, Am Outsider.