ECONOMICAL ELWORTHY.

NZ Truth, Issue 99, 11 May 1907, Page 6

ECONOMICAL ELWORTHY.

The Squatter Blacksmith.

Selfishness and greed go arm m, arm m this sad, solemn, sin-stricken, world, and the man who has got the most pelf wants more.i And he lays himself out to get it, no matter when be knocks 013. the ladder of life m the effort.- The bag bug has a tremendous advantage over the small insect, and, if he ohoses, can soon place it out of action. Putting it m another' way, the purse-proud plutocratic landowner of Maoriland lias the power *to either absorb minor lights, or squeeze them out altogether, and he usually does one or the other, for. few of him has any conscience worth speaking of. A/ couple of incidents that have occurred m the South Canterbury district lately "may be cited as showing how a sordid, soulless squatter may act occasionally when there's a. chance to make a few extra bob." A person named A. S. Elworthy, who is., a wealthy magnate owning much cash anjl many flocks and herds, has been getting himself talked about lately owing to some petty meannesses he is alleged, to have practised. Arthur Stanley Elworthy— with two other brothers, inherited a tig estate- from his. father ; he has the homestead station, which is located at Par'eora,' about twelve miles from Timaru, and is not associated with his brothers m any business sort of way. Well," there was a blacksmith m a little shop over the river, about a mile away, and he used to shoe Elworthy's station horses \of which there are a good rium.ieiv as well as those of the public. After a while it struck | • ECONOMICAL ELWORTHY that it .wouldn't be a bad scheme t 0 have his horses sliod ( - ori . the -station, so he had a blacksmith's shop erected. He was quite right m. doing that, of course, but he scon gave it out (it "is- alleged) that the public could have their mokes shod there too, but .whether at, the same rates, or less than those oE bis little rival, the -blacksmith, it isn't stated. However, it is alleged that the trade of the sOn of Vulcan fell of£,iiorsuch a deplorable , extent owing to the action of this prize-crusted Tory squatter who could '. well have l-elt the public frags; to nim> that be. Was qbliged to shut up shop and seek a' living elsewhere, h. This plutocratic pirate crushed the : small nian without effort •; but , what kind of peonle are . the horse-owners down that way who should kowtow to a rich, blastdferous magnate . by getting their mokes shod, by has employees instead of patronising the 'hard-toil-ing- ■village blacksmith? & nice spirit of social self-help they possess to be sure.; They ought to be absolutely ashamed of tbeiiiselves. Mr Arthur Stanley Eilworthy also runs a store at the station, an establishment which is absolutely essential, and he. is more than making it pay now. A? storekeeper who lives sonic six or seven miles away from the homestead used to regfularly take a run out with ■ his trap and do a fair .little business with men and women living on thc place. But he has no such luck now: tbey have got a bint to deal atr the stajtion store, and do so. Ifl '■'has been stated that the electroplated aristocrat who runs the show complained to a .shepherd who got Ms requisites 1 from Cheviot that bis account wasn't what it should be. The shepherd' replied that he never interfered with his wife, who could get her goods where she liked. THE AMATEUR ROCKEFELLER or somiElbody else pointed out to him the errors of bis ways, and now he deals at the -right store. It will interest Elworthy 's sassiety. friends to .know that he is m the public blacksmitbing business, at any rate. For A.S.E.. is a plug ih the society punt, and does the heavy with his missus (he married a Bishop's daughter) whenever big functions are catalogued. Pie may yet- go m for other lines of business on that big estate of his— a (jeweller's- shop, for instance, where everybod-i- m -want, of geegaws would be able to, and tr.*3Uld be compelled to, purchase them ri-rht on the premises. Tattered tramps who / were given temporary work would be expected to purchase a gold watch if they wanted 'to be kept On. A second-hand shop might even be established with profit, and. the spectacle of the rouseabout wearing his bosses' old Sunday nants, would not be too ba^d. But a license would .have to be obtained for such an establishment, and under such, circs, the pglice would have tbe power to search the joint for stolen- coeds. However, enough, about Elworthy for the sweet present ; the gentleman will no doubt rave like a lost soul on reading this article, but if it • contains aught tbat is incorrect he is cuite at liberty to scarify this family paper with hifi most vitriolic nibwielded" by his hard-worked bookkeeper.