THE SILENT SELLER

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 134, 29 July 1911, Page 6

THE SILENT SELLER

A TACITURN CIVIL SERVANT. RELIABLE, UN IMPEACHABLE, CONTENTED. Notwithstanding the high standard and the reputation of the Civil Service of Now Zealand, there is one officer of the Postal Department whose courtesy, reliability, and contontedness, hy comparison, casts into tiie shadow of boorisliuess, irregularity and dissatisfaction the remainder of the service, says the “Christchurch Press.” Standing out in the cold of winter and the heat of summer day after day, tins officer makes no complaint that the duty to ho fnliiiled knows no respite except for food that merely gives

strength for find;her effort. Stampspiling from day to day, week to week, grows monotonous, but this officer, purveying stamps with a regularity only to be attained by machinery, makes no complaint to the Department’s chief. Stationed outside the entrance to the post office, this officer carries out the onerous duty of providing penny stamps. The duty, of. course, is lightened by the fact that power is given to the officer to refuse any but good, pennies. Tin's officer gives no change, but .passes back contemptuously any coin of the realm except the insignificant but highly important copper. Nor can spurious coins be “palmed off” on to tin’s official. The had money is always thrown back upon its disappointed owner’s hands, and the Department’s accountant lias no trouble about “shortages.” The stamps are served to this silent seller in rolls worth £2 each. The purchaser places a coin in the officer's mouth. If the money is good, the “innards” get to work promptly and a stamp is offered temptingly. Quito recently a gentleman, who bad bad a long experience in commerce, caught the officer in a moment of aberration and received two penny stamps for his penny. He was delighted at his good fortune, and decided to make money while the seller’s wit was wandering. Ho searched bis pockets and found another copper. The officer’s expression was unchanged. With glee the business man pushed the copper into the seller’s month and bent down to obtain the two stamps. The officer gazed stolidly at the business man, gulped audibly, but declined to give a stamp. The business man reported the matter in the Chief Postmaster, but because it was the first mistake made and because the Government had lost nothing by the adventure no reprimand was forthcoming.

Another day the Chief Postmaster found the stamp-seller gazing with absolute calmness upon an infuriated little hoy—a little, hoy very dirty, very keen and very disappointed. in In’s hand was a dilapidated coin of advertisement currency. To him if was utterly valueless, and lie thought that hy cunning lie could transfer his holding to the State with advantage to the individual. The stamp-seller was unprotected, and he gave it the spurious coin. Without even a murmur of reproach the officer unceremoniously threw the coin on to the ground. The hoy returned to the .atad; again ;nd again, hoping to catch the officer on his guard, hut without fail the (government’,s silent employee rctinncd the money, and the hoy decided to seek some less suspecting fellow. Seen hy a reporter on Friday, the Chief Postmaster, Mr R. B. Morris, spoke in eulogistic terms of the offieer. “The Depart,incut takes from .47 to 48 through this oflicer,” he said, “and we have no cause to complain. Vi her, the stamp supply ceases the oflicer refuses to work and will not take money,

and we then put another roll into service. Tiiis automatic stamp-seller has proved a great success, and saves the time of many people both in and out or the service. In "Wellington they vise those sollr >*s for postcards.” “Will there !>e au extension of the system in Christchurch I-'” asked the reporter. “I cannot tell you that yet,” was the reply, “hut ! think the introduction of the seller lias been greatly appreciated.”