A CASE FOE THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 350, 26 December 1864, Page 5

A CASE FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS.

(From the Onehunga Jl'ardai, December 24.) "We had written some remarks in reply to an article which appeared in the Daily Southern Cross, on Monday, under the above heading, but owing to tho length of the following communication which has been sent for publication, we are compelled, from the limits ef our space, to withhold our observations. We may remark, however, that the article alluded to was altogether uncalled for, and the attack made on Mr. Brewer is as mean as it is unjust and undeserved; for no journal in Auckland is so greatly indebted to that gentleman as the Cross is for the information which has appeared in its columns on different occasions relative to tho shipping interests of the port of Onehunga.

(To the Editor of the Onehunga Warden.)

Sir, —The Daily Southern C>oss in its issue of Monday last, published an article containing an attack on Mr. Brewer, the Sub-Collector of Customs at Onehunga, which tho writer affirms " Mr. Brewer forced him to write," but which nevertheless was forced from his pen under the inlluence of strong and excited feeling. " It is known," says the O'Connell-street and Chancery-lane luminary, " that we have gone to the expense of maintaining a local reporter at Onehunga, at a large annual outlay, and that frequently we have been enabled, by liia industry and zeal, to distance our competitors in suppying late news. One of these occasions was the arrival of tho Heron with four days' later news from Sydney ; and this news having been obtained by our own reporter, we took leave to use as special intelligence for which we had paid." How large the annual outlay is at which the Cross has to maintain a local reporter in Onehunga, the public are not positively told, although it is intimated that if Mr. Brewer could be got to do the reporter's work gratuitously, and the reporter withdrawn, a saving of about £300 a-year would be effected. But as I happen to know that the outlay of maintaining a reporter in Onehunga is nearer £100 than £300 pounds per annum, I am utterly at a loss to conceive how a saving of the latter amount could be yearly effected by dispensing with hi services and arranging with Mr. Brewer. But Lueeo non uro is the motto of the Cross, and, doubtless, one of its brilliant luminaries can enlighten me on tho subject. 1 should like to know, moreover, in what respect the Cross has been enabled " by tho industry and zeal of its Onehunga reporter, to distance its competitors in supplying late news." As regards tho industry and zeal of tho reporter in'question, I have nothing to say except that these good qualities have been so prominently developed in Onehunga, thit lie lias come to be regarded as having more industry than wisdom, and more zeal than prudence. But what does the Cross mean when it speaks ot " distancing its competitors in the rear or in advance ■ 11 the former, I for one cannot dispute the truthfulness of the statement; but it the latter, 1 confess that that I have hitherto been blind to the tact. In all matters affecting the real interests of Onehunga, both the Xeiv Zealander and Xew Zealand Herald are almost invariably in advance of the Cross, in prool ol which I might quote from the threo ]ournals, so tar at least as the Onehunga shipping reports are concerned. At any rate these reports, as they appear in the New Zealander and New Zealand 'Herald, are far more correct than those which appear m the Cross. On one occasion, however, it does appear tjsat the Cross gained an advantage over its competitors. Uns

waa on tho arrival of tho * Heron * in tho Mairakau, with fcrur days' later news from Sydney, which, says the Gross, was obtained by our otctt reporter, and which having paid for (munificently, of couise), it gave to tho public as "specialintelligence.'' That "our own roporter" endeavoured to obtain tho news from tho ' Heron,' Ido not deny ; but that ho succeeded in accomplishing his purposo in tho manner intimated by tho Cross, I deny in toto. The fact is, Mr. Editor, that " ovir own reporter'' went off to tho ' Heron' in a boat, and upon inquiry was informed by some ono on board, that the vessel was not tho Heron, but tho Mary Thompson from "Waikato ; and without taking tlio troublo to find out whether bucli was really the fact or not, ho returned to tho whorl without an item of Sydney news. Shortly aftor this, tho very news which was fruitlessly sought after by " our own reporter," was brought ashore and put into his hands by Mr. Brewer's boatmen ; and yet, forsooth, Mr. Brewer is tlie gentleman on whom tlie Cross pours the pliial of its indignation and wrath! Fie ! for shamo! Daily Southern Cross ! May tho lustre of your lucent brightness ncvor be dimmed by such ingratitude again! The reason assigned by the Cross for complaining of Mr. Brewer's conduct is as follows: —" Our complaint arises from his refusal to permit our shipping roporter to copy tlie clearance of tho s.b. Ahuriri, which left the Manutau yesterday tor Eaglan and tho Southern ports ; and his threat that lio would decline to permit him to do so on any occasion on which lie was not legally compelled—meaning that the clearances of all vessels which leavo tho Mauukau 011 Sundays ore to bo withheld from us." lam not acquainted with Mr. Brewer's reasons for refusing 1 ■' our own reporter" a copy of the Ahuriri clearance; I am led to believe, however, that ho did not refuse him without some good causc. Bo this as it muy, I have yet to learn that Mr. Brewer is legally bound to furuish any of tho public journals with a copy of tho Customs' clearances, notwithstanding that tho Cross " insists upon stops being taken to prevont a repetition of that of which it complains." Adam Ceule. Church-strcet, Onchunga. =====