A STRANGE APPOINTMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2263, 15 July 1897, Page 28

A STRANGE APPOINTMENT.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, July 12. Mr Albert Barns has b;en appointed valuer under the Government Advances to Settlers Act, as from the 15th of May last, and will act in the North Island. The appointment may ba seen in the Gazette of May 27. The extraordinary thing is that Barns is an uncertificated bankrupt. His statement in Iho Bankruptcy Court showed liabilities £6307, but tho proofs of debt aggregated £8074. The assets were Bet down at £1568, but realised only £400. The bankrupt owed the Bank of New South Wales £3800. He admitted that his firm had been insolvent since 1888, but stated tbat tha bank had induced him to cany on. He had given a bill of sale to one M'Gregor, and in four statements to the bank he said his estate was unencumbered. The bankrupt was before Judge Kettle on the 18th September, 1896, and his Honor in his summing-up said: "M'Gregor's security -vtas always concealed, and the stock repr. 8.-utsd as unencumbered. The bankrupt's assets were always grossly exaggerated. He admits that the statements prepared by h'm were grossly misleading and were intended to mis cad tha bank and the head office. I think th&t term is the mildest that could be used in this case. The bankrupt admits deliberate fraud and deceit iv his dealings with the head ofiice of the bank. It is tha duty of the court to punish commercial dishonesty of this kind. The debtor's discharge is 6U*pended for three years." It i 3 understood tbe billet; of val> er carries with it r. salary of £500 per annum aud allowances. Whether an undischarged bankrupt ot whom a judge speakß in sudh terms of condemnation i-i a fit and proper person to advise the Government regarding the expenditure of the million and a-half loan raised for advances to settler?, and to participate in that loan to the extent of £500 a year and travelling expenses, is * question that cv e n staunch Miuisterial supporters of (he Steward, Ta,uner, and Graham stamp might periiaps be inalined to answer in the negative.

Bruce County Council t. Lee Smith. TO THE BDITOR. gin, — But for the reference to the above matter which appears in yonr this morning's " locals," I should have remained in ignorance of the latest exhibition of the inability of the Bruce County Council to perceive the difference between right and wrong, and also of that body's continued indifferenca to public duty when personal considerations are uppermost. For some years Mrnve had a compelling interest in the reports of its doings, but the fact thab its recent case againsb me had to be withdrawn — notwithstanding that the payment of £5 wculd, if its ca»e was good, have saved £20 in coita — Jed me to conclude that shame or sense of public obligation wouTd secure me from further persecution. As the case is to be further proceeded with I Bhell retrain from making any comments prejudicial to the hearing of it, although I notice the report above referred to does not regard this aspect of the matter. . I append a few faotd only which all came out in evidence, and no doubt had their weight in deciding my opposing counsel's retreat : —1. The sole paint in dispute 'is whether • I shall pay in advance or after the work is done. 2. I - have always been . ready to pay the £20 as soon as the road is fenced and put in order. I have writ! en half a dozeu times to this en\Cu, and before tha recent) case cime on my solicitor wrote to the oouncil that he had the money in his hands and would hand it over on the completion of the work. 3. The road is now unfenced — and, more than that, it is quite impassable for vehicular traffic, such having to nsa a private ro*d of my own in order to get past a place that ib would cost a considerable sum to make travewaole. +. No form&tiou has been made — a small bridge; the removal ol' one of my fences for a fow ehaiuf, and a slight raising of tbe road for 10 or 20 yard? being all that has been done. 5. My solicitor still has the money in hand and will be prepared 10 pay it over immediately after the completion of the road's requirements. The whole thing is an undignified exhibition of spleen and pigbeadedness, aud in the meantime tho only persons benefited are the lawyers eDgaged in the ca3e. Why do these guardians of the couuty : s purse continue to run riot with their constituents' money? As for Mr Macpherson and his muniflcenb personal pecuniary aid to the council for the purpose of discrediting me, let me. tell him that my experience of life has shown me that the illwill and bad wtrd of some people is almost as valuable a possession as the goodwill and approving word of others. Amongst the former I include Mr Macpherson, one of the members of the Bruce County Council. — I am, &c , A. Lee Smith.

The Wellington Harbour Board i« investing£sooo of its sinking fund in the purchase of Auckland Harbour Btiard debentures at par. The committee of the Nelf on Agricultural and Pastoral Association have resolved to put off the show from the 3rd November to tho Ist December. A lad who was acting as a drag conductor, in trying to climb up to the trout seat while the vehicle w?.s iv motion in Christchurch, fell and was ruu over, the result being a broken leg. This is the second case of the kind within a month, and"both boys are in the hospital. Hangman Tom Long, who was recently sentenced for drunkenness, foul language, and resisting the police, pa&sed through Wellington in charge of a warder to Lyttelton the other day, in all probability to haDg Sheehan, the Amberley murderer, A new significance of the letters " P. 0." is furnished by the Bulletin. A full-paged cartoon represents She Premier of New South Wales, in all the glory of Court dress, explaining matters to an urchin, who Lai pub the question to him, "What do the letters 'P. G.' stand for, George?" Dr the Right Hon. G. Houston Reid, P.C, D.G.L, replies thus: " Well, they stand for (amongst other things) 'Prudent Compromise.' A 'P.C', my child, is a politician who travels on the democratic ticket and so isn't game to take a knighthood." The Port Chalmers Naval Artillery celebrated their thirty-fifth anniversary on Friday evening by a ball in the Garrison Hall, Porfe Chalmers. There were about 80 couples present, amongst whom were Captain-commandant Goldie, Major Baal, Captain Bivrclay, Lieutei nan*s Ross and Joanstune (Danedin Engineers), Lieutenant S'rong (Dunedi? NavaW), Lieutenant Morris (B Battery), Captain Leach (Port Chalmers Fire Brigade) Lieutenant-command-ing Waters, Lieutenants Edgar and Dodo's, Surgeon-captain Cunninghame, Sergeant-major Wail (Torpedo Corps), Mr E G. Allen, M.H.R , Mr W. M. Imies (mayor), Mr John Mil 1 , Mr Strartou (Port Chalmers Band), and Mr De Maus,