A SKIN-FLINT SKY-PILOT.

NZ Truth, Issue 172, 3 October 1908, Page 6

A SKIN-FLINT SKY-PILOT.

i ■ Is it Blackmail? The singular conduct of a local parson lis exercising the minds of folk m a simple, village near Christchurch. He lost a sugar bag containing apples and. exerciseS a Sherlock Holmes faculty to discover the thief ' or thieves. Finally the. , glare of his ; reverend eye fell upon three unfortunate boys, who were made to feel the full force of- his displeasure. In the absence of prosecution and conviction there is no proof that the youngsters had anything to do iwith the theft, but the ungodly sky pilot blackmailed the victims and made them pay five shillings . each under the threat of sending them ' to the hooby hatch.- At least two df them refused to pay; they were brothers ; but their respectable mother, fearful .on account of the exposure, gave the parson his pound 1 ;of flesh. The third youngster was too poor to pay, but the greedy soul merchant insisted upon his cash, and so painted the terrors of gaol before the kid's eyes that the child went to the parson's place and worked for him for a week to satisfy his rapacious demands'. The, apples were iiot worth 15s m the first place, but, apart from that fact, the sin-shifter's 'action was

I-IIQHLY IMMORAL AND' CRIMINAL. If W had any grounds for .believing that the boys took the apples (and ihere is a grave doubt about it), it was his duty to immediately give information to the police ; and what has really happened is that the §hurch-runner has broken the law m two places ; first as an accessory after 1 the fact l (the fact being a thief), and secondly by extorting money under pressure of. blackmail. This is quite apart from his' sordid hunt after fifteen shillings, ; and the despicable ethics of a person m his saintly position 'lowering his profession by the aoption of such hor-ible tactics. Probably ■an attempt will be made to hush the matter up on account of the criminal's holy orders, and also on account of the boys, who might fear prosecution, hut the police will be lacking m their duty if they don't hale the black-coated culprit before, the proper tribunal and send him up U> .Oleary'i familia* factory for a term.