SAUCE FOR THE GANDER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8556, 26 July 1889, Page 3

SAUCE FOR THE GANDER.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —Wo have beard a good deal about the heinousness of Mr Fisher's conduct in trying to pave a friend from exposure to an action for breach of the revenue laws, but we have not heard (at least I have not) anything of the heinousuess of the Minister who himself committed a breach of the same laws,.au'i against i whom no prosecution was instituted. I ireau the offence of signing a blank sharo transfer wbi.h camo to light during the hearing of a case in the Supreme Court at Duucdin a few months ago. I wonder if that matter was discussed in the Cabinet and what view Mr Fergus took of it. Dr Wanless.was prosecuted aud fined heavily, and more than one prosecution has taken place in Christchurch and heavy fines have been indicted for the same offence. Why then should not a Cabinet Minister be served with the same •aucc? In connection with this question, I should like to be enlightened as to thu nature of a sharebroker's business. Some time ago I was endeavouring to sell a parcel of shares, but could not get within 2s a share of the price at which sales were being daily reported. I imagine the reason to have been that I stipulated for the name of the purchaser being inserted in the transfer, and this did not suit the brokers. It has seemed to me, from loug observation, that sharebroking consists largely iv getting blank transfers and holding them for an advance, after which the name is filled in and the brqker gets tbe benefit of tho rise. If there is to be any penalty for signing blanks, it strikes me that the broker ought to be made liable and not tho seller, as the latter often does not know tho law; while the broker does know it, and uniformly exposes the seller to the risk of a prosecution. Now that Parliament is fittinp, will no Otago member endeavour to get this absurd law altered, even though he cannot effect the prosecution of the delinquent Minister?—l am, &c, July 22. Fiat Jdstitia.