ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1881, 1 July 1892, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

APPOITNMENT OF TOWN CLERK, (TO THE EDITOR, LAKE WAKATIP MAIL.) Sik.—l have heard that at a meeting of the Borough Council last Tuesday evening, it *aa decided to invite applications for the position of To.wn Clerk at a salary of £65 per annum. It seems absurd that couucillors, in spite of the adverse criticisms bestowed on thfir devoted heads over the appointment of the late Mr C. C. Boyes, should still defy public opinion and allow themselves to be the butt of newspaper correspondents. The man in the street says that Mr Geisow has been already oflered the billet, aud that the salary was fixed specially to suit him. I understand that the duties of assessor and clerk to the licensing committee are not included, and that whoever gets it will get extra for this thereby bringing the salary up to nearly the old amount. I am sure there are plenty of capable men who could do the work for considerably under £65. When the Council have a man to contract for a £5 job for rabbiting the commonage they call for tenders and the lowest tenderer usually gets it. When they know that there are so many applicants why do they not do the same in this case ? lam sure they could get a competent man to do it for £4O a year. As most of them are business men would they pay £65 for collecting and disbursing £'2oo? If they did they would be considered fit inmates for SeaclifF. I may mention that I am not an applicant for the position, but, as a ratepayer, I protest against the public money being frittered away as has been the custom in the past.—l am, etc. Live and Let Live. Queenstown, 23rd Jane, 1892. [lt will be seen that above letter was written before the whole duties of the new Town Clerk were made public, in which are included clerk to the licensing b^nch—but not that of assessor or valuer, for whose services hitherto, from five to ten guineas each j ear has been paid for what was little else than clerical work.—En. L. W. <l/.] REG IN A V BRYANT. (TO THE EDITOR OF THE LAKE WAKATIP MAIL) Sir, —I was grieved to see in your late issue a paragraph stating that people were surprised that the boy Bryant was acquitted although thete were seven counts or charges against him. This was probably so, but perhaps if an explanation were given people might not be so surprised. The charg sor counts were an intent to fire at the Chinaman to kill him, to maim him, to wound him, to do him grievous bodily harm, and so on. Now, I suppose, the fir3t question for the jury to decide was whether the boy intended to fire the revolver or whether it went off accidentally. They decided the latter, and the boy was acquitted. Hoping you will insert this in justice to the sad parents, and that the affair may be a salutary lesson to all boys aot to play jokes with firearms.—Yours. Queenstown, Juue 23rd, 1892. A Parent. [We merely recorded a fact, without the slightest intentioii of h'irting the feelings of those immediately interested, who are to be congratulated on the result of the trial. The affair is one, however, which parents of our youths should take to heart, and should also be a forcible reminder to the police to check any tendency to larrikmison. Hoys will be boys, but the youthful mind, like a tender plant, iB extremely sensitive to outside influences or assocations, and if thi se are pernicious one need not be surprised at the result in the end. Above all things let them be kept off the streets at night.—Ed. L. M. W.} THE LaTE INQUEST. (TO THE EDITOR OK THE LAKE WAKATIP MAIL.) Sir, —I hope that when the next inquest is hr-ld some care will be taken in getting it up to some purpose. At the inquest held on the unfortunate mau, Henderson, the only witness called was his mate or employer who saw nothing of the accident, whilst the only two who were eye-witnesses were not called on. Possibly the indecent huste in holding the inquiry may account, to some extent, for such a farce. Would it not, also, be as well, Sir, if a representative of the local press was present an, oftentimes, things of public interest transpire which the coioner, or acting-coroner (especially if he is a new chum at it), do not make any note of.—Yours, A Citizen.