LETTER MYSTERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23057, 7 June 1938, Page 8

LETTER MYSTERY

MESSAGE BOY'S PKANK HIGH OFFICIAL CRITICISED IMPORTED CHINESE DRAGON AN AMAZING DISCOVERY , [fiiom OUR OWN correspondent] SYDNEY. June 3 'A bright boy played a brief part recently in the affairs of the Australian nation. This was discovered as a result of an inquiry conducted by the Department of the Interior, which cleared up in an unexpected and humorous manner , a mystery that had been puzzling senior Federal officials in Sydney and Canberra. When the Chinese community in Sydney against the decision of the Customs Department to charge duty on a paper dragon imported for the 150 th Anniversary celebrations, the Collector of Customs was surprised to receive from Canberra a letter signed "A. Percival, assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior.' 1 It is not considered ethical in the Public Service for an officer of one department to intrude upon the troubles of a colleague. The letter was outspoken. It was written in the best style of irritated officialdom. After having pointed out how necessary it was for all concerned to play their part in maintaining international harmony, it suggested that the Customs Department might reasonably take a common-sense view and let the dragon in duty free. 'Search for the Author Mr. Percival's surprise when the letter was referred to him was even greater than that of the Sydney Customs Department. He had never seen it before. A search for the author was begun, and the similarity of the signature to that of entries in the departmental time book was noticed. The result was that a messenger boy who had just joined the department was summoned before a hastily convene'd tribunal. He was taxed with sending the letter, and disconcerted all present by freejy admitting that he had done so. He was surprised that his action should be questioned. When the gravity of the offence of forgery was pointed out to him he said that part of his official duties was to despatch letters which had been signed by junior clerks with the names of their superiors. He stoutly maintained that the protest was justified by the circumstances in which it was written. "One of the Brightest" When Mr. Percival wrathfully asked why he had been singled out for the honour of signing the protest, the boy replied: "Well, you see sir, nobody in Sydney knows me, so it would have been ridiculous if I had signed my own name." He was fined five shillings, but it is doubtful whether he minded very much, because he had had the satisfaction of knowing that his views had been endorsed by the Commonwealth Government itself, and that the duty had" been waived. Extraordinary precautions were taken to shroud in secrecy the identity of the boy, who, it was explained, was of a temperamental nature. He was in tears at the disclosure of his prank, and was spirited away hbme. "He is one of the brightest boys we have had in the department," said the head of the department. "He had only been in the office about 'a, month when the incident occurred, and he has had his lesson."