M'PUNCHIE'S PETITION ON THE CURRANTCY OF OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 78, 13 November 1852, Page 2

M'PUNCHIE'S PETITION ON THE CURRANTCY OF OTAGO.

To His Excellency Sir George Grey, X.C.8., Governor-in-Chief of New Zealand, &c, &c, &c. The Humble Petition of the Mothers of Otago Sheweth, That your Petitioners view with dismay an attempt at creating a currantcy by the bakers of Qtago, whereby plum (i.e. currant) buns (one of which would be forwarded to your Excellency, but we fear it would get stale) are being exchanged for cash payments, and which your Petitioners fear may be the means of destroying the excellence of the juvenile digestions which have hitherto existed inOtago. Had the sajd buns been made with a due allowance of .jalap, your Petitioners would not have been under any alarm ; but the practice now adopted -may be carried out by other parties, thereby creating a false appetite ; and should such prove to be the case, they conceive the ruin of the settlement to be inevitable. Your Petitioners, moreover, consider this addition to the currantcy of Otago is closely allied to the Suck. System (the sale of lollypops, brandy balls, taffy, and bull's eyes), the baneful effects of which are well known in the home country, and which have been, universally condemned. *" ..your Petitioners further have reason to fear the formation of Pariiamint — a spurious compound of

treacle and butter ; and although your Petitioners are aware, from speeches they see made in the home country, that these ingredients enter largely into the most august of these bodies, yet they fear, from the specimen they have witnessed in the " Settlers' Association" (the Otago Parliament), of which many of the bakers are members, that the effect of such Parliamint will be very nauseous to and much against the stomachs of some of the community, and make them dissatisfied with their Constitution.

Your Petitioners are not aware whether the manufacture of such pasty currantcy and lollypops is contrary to the law or any Ordinance of New Zealand. Your Petitioners would, however, earnestly beseech your Excellency to adopt such measures without delay as will put an end to so intolerable a grievance being inflicted on the Mothers of Otago. — And your Petitioners will ever pray. The above Petition will lye for Signature at the indifferent stores in Dunedin.