RED TAPE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 30

RED TAPE.

A Central News telegram from Duroan says: During the siege of Ladysmith, when the supplies of rations for civilians ran short, the mayor applied to the officer in charge of the Imperial commissariat for food for the inhabitants, many of whom had joined the fighting ranks. The mayor obtained permission to draw on the military supplies, on condition that he held himself responsible for the cost of the rations. Although the mayor agreed to this, it was not for a moment anticipated that such a claim would ba pressed by the Imperial authorities. Now, however, it is elated the claim has been submitted, and a demand made upon the mayor for payment of several thousand pounds. This extraordinary incident has made a sensation throughout the colony, and the Governor, Sir W. Hely-Hulchinson, has been approached, and is moving in the matter. In well informed circles the whole affair is said to be a flagrant piece of red-tapeism. His Worship the Mayor has written to the Premier again drawing attention to the fact that the relatives of a trooper in the fifth contingent have not received a penny of his pay for which arrangements had been made to have forwarded to them. The trooper in question is drawing his pay less £4- 10s per month, which it was understood should be transmitted to his mother in Dunedin. His Worship, in the letter, suggested that there was gross negligence somewhere, when those in need were put to such trouble to obtain what was their due. An Auckland telegiam states that Sergeant Garland, of Cambridge, cjie of the invalids by the Gothic from South "Africa, has arrived at Auckland, where he was welcomed by Captain Reid, district adjutant, who was his old captain in the Waikatn Mounted Rifles. Trooper Heenan, of the fourth contingent, states, in a letter to his father, that he had .received a baptism of fire at Bulawayo. Someone had axiparently dropped a cartridge sn the fire, round which five of the men were nitting. The cartridge exploding, the wjiter v'eceived four flesh wounds in his log. The wounds wore fortunately not serious, and he \Dort recovered. News was received in Wanganui on Monday (says the Chronicle) of the death of Mr ftodjs M'Lead, who died at Pretoria on August 19. Deceased was very well known in Wanganui, and was engaged for some lime .\here as canvasser for the A.M.P. Insurance vjompany. About 18 months ago he left for Queensland, and when the Imperial Bushmen's Contingent was raised he went as one \f its members. News has been received (says the Akaroa tvlail) of the death of Trooper Luke Perham, \>f No. 1 Company of the third contingent, \Vho was killed at the front. General sympathy is felt for the parents of the deceased taooper, who was only 23 years of ago. A Birmingham lady: Mrs G. Ernest O.staond, of Holly Lawn, Beech Lanes, Edgbas\on, has at the front two brother*, eight nr?l v'oufeins, 43-sccond cousins, and an uncle, mak,\ng 54- altogether, and if cousins by marriage \?ero counted the total .would be brought up ,\o over 60. The whole of these voluntecied Vor service. Some have be n n through the r'ege of Ladysmith, others in Kimberley, Maf^ting, and Wepsr.er. Mrs Ot-mond's v'ather, too, offered his services, but in consideration of his age was not accepted. Her

| sister is a nurse in the hospital at Maritzburg. It will surprise many people to learn (sai^s the- Post) that no portion of the proceeds from the recent Maori Carnival held in the Basin Reserve — which it was understood was got up in aid of the more men and patriotic funds — • has so far leached the local committees who control those funds. A leport to this effect was made at a moating of the More Men Fund Executive Committee. It appears, moreover, that blame hordly attaches to the promoters of the carnival, but to the Government's policy of " Grab ! " Iv the couroo of a dipcussion on the subject, the Mayor of Wellington stated that Mr Parata came to him and said that when he saw the Hon. Mr Corroli on the subject the Minister said: — " Give me the money, and I will hand it to the Mayor." Mr Parata did as requested. As ths Mayor said that he had seen nothing of the money, Mr Morison thought the committee ought to place on record its strongdisapproval of the action of the Government. Mr Maxwell pointed out that the committee would not get the money, no matter how much it asked, and it would do as well as passing a motion if it were recorded that none cf the Maori Carnival money had been received. This suggestion was adopted. One member succinctly summed up the position, thus: — " The Government has collared the Maoris' money, the Agent-general's, and now they want to pass a bill to collar ours! ''