The Observer.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 23, 19 February 1881, Page 228

The Observer.

Saturday, February 19th, ISSI

People are beginning to speculate on the general election sure to follow next session of the Assembly, and some think likely to occur even earlier. One bold and knowing member has been prophesying an election within two months, on the ground that Ministers cannot hold together much longer. Others look for it by dissolution after the defeat Ministers are likely to sustain as soon as the House meets, while it is quite certain the Opposition is too disorganised to replace them without a previous appeal to the country. Ministers know this as well as anyone, and will be able to turn the knowledge to good account if they are as adroit as their supporters think them.

lii event of a dissolution, it is said that W. L. liees will stand for either City West or Newton, unless Mr. Speight is put lip for the West, in -which case Sir. Kees may stand for his old constituency. City East. There is a talk, too, of Sir Julius Yogel making a reappearance for some Southern constituency. His friend, Charley O'Neil, has, I see, been -writing him up in Sydney, and speaks of the grand reception given to Sir Julius on his last return from England. He .should have added that it was got up chiefly by the official world in Wellington, and that there was plenty of money in the Government chest, with plenty of "favours to come "in those days. Times have changed, and men will probably be found to have changed with them.

Sir George Grey is to stand for Christchurch at the next election. There is no doubt of his getting a seat at either Christchurch, Dunedin, or Invcrcargill. The old "lion" prefers an Auckland constituency, but places himself at the disposal of his party, and is ready to be put into the front wherever the fight is hottest and a victory most important. In that fight Christchurch or Dunedin will, I fancy, carry the palm.

If Sir Julius Vogcl should come out again, there need he no doubt as to the line he will take up. It is made clear enough in a letter to the Economist, sent in reply to some evil bird in New Zealand, who has delighted to foul his own nest. The policy sketched out for all who can read "between the lines, is this. Borrow, borrow, borrow — as long and as much as you can.

Tims you will counteract the action of those "who, having greatly benelitted by the policy of the last few years, do not care that their felloAv colonists in his favoured districts should do the same." Unfortunately the more we borrow, the larger the amount that must be sent out of the colony every year to be paid in tribute to our creditors abroad. On that point the brave Sir Julius does not seem to cast a thought. As to taxation, a mere bagatelle ! Put on more Customs' duties, relieve the propertied classes of the Property Tax, and "reI ieve the Consolidated Revenue of the charges for education." The latter, I jn-esume, means to throw it on to local resources, which in only taxation in another form, and very partial and oppressive withal.

Sir Julius objects to direct taxation. He says: "The population (whatever that may mean) do not object, but a large number of people object because they consider it unnecessary." I wish that I could consider it unnecessary too ; but there is no doubt direct taxation can'only be got rid of by throwing iicav burdens on the masses of the people already borne down by an unexampled Customs' taxation. The time seems also to have come "when that easy and delightful mode of raising more revenue will have passed away. Duties have been enormously increased during the last few years ; but the eftect has only been to prevent the Customs' revenue from falling. It does not now stand <j_uite so high as it did three years ago. In Customs' taxation it is an old axiom that two and two do not always make four. When times are good, and the taxes come out of surplus income, additional duties may mean additional revenue. Not so when they come out of people's necessities. What is then taken in one direction is certain to be lost in anothei*. Any statesman must regard this difference, and must sec that in the present condition of New Zealand, taxation through the Custom House has pretty well reached its limits?, and can only operate by reducing the comforts and general condition of the mass of the people on whom the taxes would fall. In this respect it would restrict consumption and limit trade much more than even the Property Tax can do.

But, friend Julius, how came you to make such a blunder as to say that "nearly a third of the yearly sum for loan indebtedness might be obtained by removing the charge for education from off the consolidated fund?" More than half the expenditure on education is for buildings, and their cost is defrayed entirely from loans — not from the Consolidated Fund as you infer from the letter now under review.

Another great financial «un lias been fired oft" by Vogel's friends in Dunedin. Mr. Larnach is a very enterprising Dnnedin merchant, director of one of onr local "brinks, founder of great companies for dealing in land, manufacturing wood-work, and various other useful purposes. He is, with Sir Julius Yogel, a director of the ! New Zealand Agricultural Company, which was founded to sell for twelve hundred thousand*; pounds in England a remarkably fine ]ot of land, and to put more than half a million into the pockets of the spirited owners when the land was sold. The famous Waimea Plains Railway was got up in connection with this Company. It has cost Mr. Oliver a pelting with unsavoury eggs, and would have let the colony in for a most nefarious job a session or two ago if Sir George Grey had not, with his determined Opposition, spoilt the little game. So Mr. Larnach, with such backers outside the Assembly, and equally powerful backers wifliin it, is to be regarded as speaking with authority when lie addresses the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce as its chairman. !

Mr. Larnach denounces the Property Tax. ccla va sans dire. Of course he considers that it has done immense harm to the progress of the colony. But lie tells us in the same'breatli, " We must not be surprised to witness, at no distant date, the vahie of good land becoming Higher than ever known in this colony." BraA r e words, Mr. Lamach, and a hope in which I heartily concur. But why did you not stop there? Why go on to say that the Customs' tariff should be the only means of raisin «■ revenue, and that it was to be hoped measures in this direction would be taken when Parliament meets ? Think of the struggling thousands from Avhom^ that Customs' revenue is mainly raised; Think how any increase must press on

their comforts and reduce their means. Think, too, that they, having the power in this colony to defend themselves fi-om such burdens', are not such fools as to allow them to be placed upon their shoulders and the shoulders of their wives and children unless wealth also pays its full and fair share. It is only a few months since your colleague, Sir Julius Yogel, announced to the English world, as an inducement to take our debentures, that the expenditure of the loan had added at least fifty millions to the value of landed property in New Zealand. And he further declared the resources of the colony were so great that it would be easy to rai.se the whole of the interest by direct taxation if necessary. My dear Mr. Larnach, surely you, being in England at the time, must have read all this in the advertisement, ottering for sale the last New Zealand loan. If j-ou did not allow me to call it to your notice and to assure you that the people of New Zealand are not such fools as some of their public men suppose. They will take their share and bear it cheerfully, but will not let themselve be crushed to the earth in order that the richer among their fellow citizens may go comparatively f ree.

The Southland DailifNews charges Ministers, and especially Mr. Oliver, with having cried out that there were no funds for public purposes while spending £10,000 "for apparently no other purpose than to swell the receipts ' of a private Railway Company " — meaning the Waunea Plains Railway — which figured so notoriously in Parliament the session before last. Then, again, Ministers had neglected to turn to account land set aside for the Seaward Bush Railway, and had generally so managed as to lead to the belief they wished to divert the traffic from the Invercargill line to the private district railway aforesaid. These things surely ought to have been known; and what are my contemporaries about that they have left the public in the dark concerning them ?

Another thing they are talking about rather loudly m Invercargill is what they call the "Mararoa job," which is denounced for its iniquity in the work having been given out privately instead of being let by public tender 1 suppose more will be heard of these matters when the Assembly meets. At all events they show thaUhe Southland folk are not such rabid egg-throwing and howling idiots as it has been sought to represent them.

Two very distinguished gentlemen have been wandering over the country for the last few weeks. They form another Commission, and their duty is, rumour sayeth, to report on Hetrench men t wherever they think it practicable. Have we not had enough of this Commission farce? All that Messrs. Seed or Batkin can learn or teU might .surely have been done without a repetition of the personal inspection of the Saunders' Commission last year. Will they save even the cost of their travelling expenses of live or six guineas a day ? And how on earth do the important oilices they themselves hold get on so long and so well without them ?

•Sir,— l should like to say a few words in reply to Mr. Ewington's letter in the Hcruhl of Wednesday lnst, the 9th inst., on behalf of the clergy. lam not a clergyman, but I have had experience in Diblc-reading in large schools and 1 know its insuperable difficulties. I have seen the Catholics and Jews filing out when the Iftble was opened, and .sighed over the apathy and indifference of the Protestants remaining inside. To catch the children's attention cither before or after school is almost impossible, and the clergy M-ell know this. How many children doe.s Mr. Ewington expect would attend his proposed short evening and morning services in the churches ? Even the Wednesday evening services for adults have proved a failure in many parishes. Mr. Ewington says he Ims had money sent him to aid in the movement for religious education. Will he spend some of it in causing wall cards to be printed in large type containing, each on a separate card, The Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, some verses from the book of Proverbs, and a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, and then will he endeavour to get permission from the authorities to hang these up in the schools, just as maps are now hung up? I say this because I h.^pened to ask one of the pupil teachers what map she had to draw for the examination, and she said, "The map of Africa." "Were you able to do it?" I asked^ and she replied, "How could I help it when it was hanging straight before me every day in school." Now if these Avail cards were hanging straight before the children's eyes every day in school, would not the words upon tli em by degrees sink into their minds, and might they not be led by them to keep the law and the commandments ? This is my suggestion to him, and he can take it for what *it is worth. I hardly see myself, under the existing secular act, what a clergyman can do, except hunt up the children for the Sunday school. Then why lay the onus upon them ? —I am, Sir, &c, A WALL CARD.

P.S.— I have just read Mr. Ewingfcon's letter, in which he proposes as text books, ■instead of the Bible, "Peep of Day," and "Line upon Line." I know them well, they are splendid books and admirably adapted to teach the truths of the Biblo to young minds, but the Catholics and Jews will file out as before rather than use them. They are essentially Protestant.

"Lasciate ocjni speranza voi ch'entrate." — "Leave every hope behind you who enter here" is the motto Dante writes over the gates oi his Inferno. With a slight difference this [is also the motto one would write over the door of the waiting room of the North Shore Ferry Company's Steamers. You who enter here in clean and spotless garments leave every hope of ever taking them out again either clean or spotless, For the place is dirty — disgustingly, unmistakably dirty. The walls are black, the seats are black, the floor is something worse than black. The black hole of

cWv tta A C ° l i ld n °\ H Ve < been Wacker ™ acre wngy. A. place only fit for a tipsy sailor to lie down and sleep in. No smart fi Tar, dean and spruce as lie is, and ought to be, would mit nven S of ?.$»»•> and yet ftis isS fm-fL^i foi i cluidre » and ladies waiting cool \?l T m ? steamers to take them to the Plelant a " d ardens of that TmlvL 1 !? 1 * sanato "« m of Auckland. Tl,p\*r * a l re a lon S-s«ffering race

Apropos of this, the waiting room at the ll «a£^i mi ,M 1 them , cl( ; a T- rtnd furbishing what might be a comfort, but is at present only a discomfort to all concerned y

The moat experienced miner in the Auckland Provincial District, was "sold" in such a discreditable manner the other day, that he is in a very perturbed state of mind lest the story of Sf 7 a ii 'V ICh h V™ sglllled ' -should become generally known. It happened thusly The .senior partner of a firm of solicitors in this city met a liki miner in the street, who offered a specimen stone, in which gold freely appeared, for £3. After some little chaffering the stone was bought for £1, and Mr. C. took it to h£ office. His partner saw it, and though he does not profess to be an expert, the extraordinary richness of the gold taken in conjunction with the comparative lightness of the stone roused his suspicions. He dipped it in water, and rubbing it gently with his finger, some of the gold, came oft. Of course, Mr! C. felt rather sore at the discovery, but there was no help for i « *! oft * he "JPecimcn on his table, and shortly after Mr. p a well-known Coromandel miner came m, picked up the stone, examined it, asked where it came from, and when informed from the liki remarked that bright days were evidently m store for Coromandel. He left and the following day McC, who considers himself to be up to all kinds of gold mining dodges and too fly to be caught by any of them! least of all, a "salted" spcimen, came. He admired the stone and said it was a wonderful •specimen and offered to buy it. There was no one m but the office boy, and he was discreetly silent regarding the discovery made by Mr C 's partner. Vi hen therefore ' McC., to make assurance doubly sure, wanted some sort of guarantee that the specimen was genuine, the youth told hi,,,, "there is the stone, you in a v take it as it is for £1, or you can leave it alone'" Hie pound was paid, and McC. went away but soon returned m a violent rage, denouncing the transaction as a swindle, and demanding the return of Ins money The lad offered him the money minus five shillings, f or the loan of the stone. 1 Jus was was refused, but finally McC cooled down. He said he didn't want the d money back, and anybody was welcome to the sanguinary specimen, but he besought the lad with tears m bis eyes, not to divulge the stoiy. The youth promised, and of course, he has kept his word. '

The other evening, in a house not very far from Queen-street, the female guests were discussing the virtues and the foibles, the merits and demerits, of Auckland young men. The hostess, a severe sexagenarian of tlie Pipehin type, remarked, "I am sure young G— is a very conceited young man." "Indeed, Mrs. H — why do you think so?" "Well I was a-looking hover some of his letters to our Mary Ann and I noticed he always wrote of himself with a capital I."

A few weeks ago, in noticing Mr. Hampson's closing meeting in the Choral Hall, I asked the question "will the effect produced last?" A reply to this is the arrest of one of her most promising converts, Sheppard, in the Occidental Hotel last Saturday, on a series of charges of the most barefaced robberies. It has also transpired since his arrest that a short time ago he forged his mother's signature to a cheque so accurately that the fraud was undetected by the bank officials, and lie obtained the money he applied for.

Secretaries, treasurers, and officials of public bodies generally, may be, as a rule, the most precise .and accurate of men when using ordinary business phraseology. But at an annual banquet under the exhilarating influence of Roederer, rich and rare, even the steadiest of mortals is apt to become slightly mixed and incoherent. A gentleman at the Regatta Supper last week, in responding to a toast in his honour, got rather mixed, at least I thought so when he observed, "Gentlemen, when I gave up my post of for 'a time I was like a fish out of water and did not feel in my clement until I got into harness again." For amusing confusion of metaphors Sir Boyle Roach used to be considered as wearing the champion belt — as Avitness his memorable Outburst in the House of Commons— "Sir, I see a rat—l smell it in +he air—but, Sir, we shall yet nip it in the bud." If I remember rightly, the veracious Baron Munchausen did once rig on winkers and reins to some seamonster, but I do not think that illustrious author was in our friend's mind when he employed the complicated illustration referred to. — . — -^. Unless I am very much mistaken there Avil be more trouble at the Howe -street Home before long. Dr. Harvey and his wife are neither of them given to complaining, but it is absurd to suppose that they will consent to be over-ridden and treated as menials by a pack of idle Avomen, many of whom can't look after their own houses, let alone anybody else's. I am informed, on the authority of a disinterested visitor, that the condition of the children at present in the Home is most scandalous. Many of them have neither socks nor underclothing. There are very few pairs of boots, and no brushes to clean them with. The establishment can only boast two or three combs, and there is hardly a handle on any of the doors. The children sleep three and four in a bed, and the sanitary arrangements are so utterly in. famous that I positively daren't indicate them. None of these faults oan, by any possibility, be traced to the door of the new superintendent and his wife. They hold, lam told, the highest possible certificates, seem thoroughly capable, and are quite ready to undertake the sole responsibility of cleaning this Augean stable if only the Committees Avill permit and assist them. At present neither the gentlemen nor the ladies appear to do anything, save interfere unnecessarily. Mr. Harvey not long ago presented these authorities with a list of what he considered absolutely essential to put things fairly right. Has he, I ask, got all, or even any, of the articles on the list, and if not, why not ? The fact of the matter is, it is the same old game of "Too many cooks spoiling the broth." The Home might get right if three or four capable persons were given sole control, and authorised to do what is necessary; but whilst every idle woman, who wants to while away a morning, can go there and call away the matron from her work to "finnick" over this, that, and the other, the institution must and undoubtedly will continue to go to pieces.

The Herald is indignant at the threatened extinction of our coal traffic by an increase of the freightage from the Waikato mines. Don't be alarmed my dear old lady. Look at the shareholders, list of those mining companies ; and, in spite of all tattle and of all appearances to the contrary, he comforted. Government won't hurt its own strong and influential sup porters. Not if it can help it. If you doubt us go to Huntley and look at the road Government are making, and hear the outcry made by people who think the money ought so be spent for the country, and not for the coal mines alone.

Military people are not necessarily well-read, and the Avearing of gorgeous epaulettes, or the gay cockade does not always imply intelligence on the part of the wearer. When the troops were in this city it happened at a dinner-party, one evening, that the conversation turned on art and artists. Someone said to an officer present, "What do you think of Hogarth?" just as he was in the middle of a discussion as to the relative merits of two starters for the approaching steeplechase. "Hogarth?" he replied, "didn't know him. What regiment was he in ?"

A party of gentlemen, who recently went to the top of Bangitoto, found there various documents which had somehow or other made the ascent of that mountain. Among them was one of unique style, of which I give a copy, omitting the surnames.— "Sunday, December, 19th! 1880. T. L. gave a Ffeethought Lecture to a large and enthusiastic audience, consisting of W. J. and G. C, who are hosts in themselves (when no one else is about). The lecturer evidently practises what he preaches, and carries his audience with him in giving freedom to their thoughts by damning Rangitoto to the lowest depths of perdition. The proceedings closed with a short and concise prayer for help during our perilous ascent. Amen. P-S.— Thank God, there is more beer in the UO8X»

;To the Editor : Sir,— To read your remarks on the Governor's visit to liotorua (published in your issue of the sth inst.) makes one regret that you-did not hear hoth sides of the story before circulating such an untruthful account. I was at Ohinemutu the -whole time, and 1 trust you will allow a disinterested spectator to give you the real facts of the case. First : Regarding the ball, (Heaven save the mark !) it" was not given in hoiiour of the Governor, or at the request of the residents. It was simply a •• house warming," got up solely by Air. Graham, to celebrate the completion of the spacious additions to Lake House, it is true that a number of tourists of both sexes did go to the dance. But, no doubt they were prompted by a very pardonable curiosity to see a savage race in a transition state, between barbarism and civilisation. To me it was an instructive sight to watch bare legged Maories going correctly through the intricacies of the lancers, albeit the room was crowded and hot, and a very pronounced odour of shark oil and "waipiro " pervaded the atmosphere. But because it was amusing to me, surely that was no reason why Sir Arthur Gordon, who was travelling as- a private gentleman, should be dragged from his room when he preferred rest and quiet. Second :An invitation was sent by two Ngatiuhakane chiefs for the Governor to visit them at Tamatelcapua— the carved house. The bulk of the chiefs, however, were decidedly against any welcome being offered the Governor, because no official intimation had been sent them of his intended visit ; also, because most of their people were absent. His Excellency said he would be glad to meet them at 8 p.m. on the 26th if they were ready, and he hastened back from Rotomahana for that purpose, but no message arriving from Ngatiwhakane, he retired to rest. Third : As for the Maori Princess, whom Sir Arthur is reported to have "refused to shake hands with after entering her house." The story is quite true with the trifling exceptions that his Excellency did not enter her house at all, and that she was not restrained by Captain Mair from striking him. Your informant also omitted to tell you that the dusky damsel in question, at the time of her interview with the Queen's representative, was in the normal state of all Ohinemutu Princesses — slightly elevated. I fancy the reason why these misrepresentations are made is because the Governor patronised Mcßae's hotel instead of putting up at Mr. Graham's place, at the Wairoa. — I am &c. Truth. [The information was supplied by Mr. Graham, who, like "Truth" was on the spot. —Ed. Obs.]

For pedantry and conceit of the very "out and outest " * kind, commend me to your " promising young man" with a self -satisfied smirk and pyramidal hair. I went through the penance of "sitting under" one of this class a short time since, and on the lex talionis principle, mentally resolved to "sit upon >% him at the earliest opportunity. After treating his beloved hearers to a surfeit of threadbare similies and commonplace illustrations, this rising clerical brother went in recklessly for poetical quotations. While reflecting on the line which separates intelligent religious teaching from pulpit twaddle, my attention was arrested by this remark : "My friends, Shakespeare observes, 'Men think all others mortal except themselves.' " I did not audibly correct him on the instant, though strongly impelled to do so, as there rose up before my recollection Young's well known lines "All men deem all men mortal but themselves." The inference to be drawn from this quoting fiasco is that it is far better for juvenile # clerics when they feel disposed to lug rhyme into their discourses, to allude vaguely to the authorship and adhere to the safe old plan of saying "As the poet observes," &c., &c.

Considering what an immense amount of drinking goes on in the colonies, it is really astonishing that those who can afford it do not take pains to procure good liquor. Wine, save on festive occasions, seems to be hardly ever used, and very few, even of the richest men, have a cellar attached to their houses or lay down vintages regularly. Take champagne for instance. If you ask an average colonist what he considers the best "fizz," he will almost certainly reply "Roederer" or "Moet and Chandon." Now, any one who understands the rudiments of wine drinking knows that both . the brands of these wines, sent to Australia, are second class, and occasionally positively bad. Good "Roederer," i.e., the Cuvee JReservee, or first crushing of the grape, is very good indeed, but it doesn't come out here. There is a little of the 18.74 wine at Vefours and Bignon's, in Paris, and a good deal at the Elyse'e, but it is done up in a very different way to the "Roederer," familiar to New Zealand eyes, and doesn't bear the fatal inscription, "bottled specially for use in Great Britain and the colonies." So, too, with "Moet." The champagne of Messrs. Moet and Chandon was once second to none, but now some of the vilest sparkling wine known is circulated under their labels. The only good "Moet" is the wine of 1868, and that cannot be got anywhere for either love or money. The best — the ' very best — champagne procurable in the English market at present is, in my opinion, Pommery and Greno's first crushing of 1874. It is, of course, hideously expensive, but as a dry sparkling wine, just perfect. Next conies Wachter and Co.'s Cuvee for the same year, and " Piper sec," which is a very popular brand at the London clubs. Heidsieck's "Dry Monopole " has been much used by steamship companies, &c, of late, but one can very seldom get it good. The wine is generally far too new, in fact there 'is very little 1874 in the market. By far the best champagne which can be pxirchased. in Auckland is Pol Roger's "Extra Dry." This is a veritable 1874 wine, and the firms Cuvee JReservee into the bargain. The name, though not known in Australia, is familiar enough to habitues of the best Metropolitan clubs and resturants, who have got through nearly the whole of the first bottling. Aucklanders, it is needless to say, won't stand

''Pol Roger" at any price. The hard metallic flavour of "Rocde'rer" alone seems to suit palates destroyed by deleterious whiskey and public-house sherry! Those, however, who really care for a clean, dry, sound, and delicately perfumed champagne should try " Pol Itoger."

A slight tiff marred for a short timc < the harmony of the St. Sepulchrians at their picnic last Saturday. The fearfully exciting game of French tig had been played for a considerable time and with a violence that was almost Baptistic in its character, and quite exceptional among the sober Episcopalian, s Some of the young ladies at length got tired of it, and retreated from the ring. There secession was no sooner beheld by Mr. F. G. K than he, in company with young ¥. C. gave chase to the fugitives in order to bring them back. The worthy incumbent happened to observe them, and imagining that the game was kiss-in-the-ring, his soul was stirred with indignation. He did not say much to ¥. C, as he is young and might be excused ; but the vials of 'his wrath were discharged on the devoted head of poor F. G. E., who was so astounded that he could not utter a word. Some friends interfered and explained matters, saying kiss-in-the-ring wa« uncommonly nice, but, as it was very naughty, they had not been playing it. The clerical brow cleared, and mirth was once more restored.

A correspondent writes : I have just heard of a case very similar to the Purchas charges against Mr. Anderson, the classical master of the Auckland College and Grammar School, in which the "Rev. Doctor" was the accuser. There can be no doubt about the authenticity of the story, though, for the obvious reasons, I suppress the names. Messrs A. and B. were two elderly gentlemen living together in one of the suburbs. One afternoon Dr. Purchas drove up to the gate, jumped out of his buggy, and went into the house. As soon as he saw the two gentlemen he began to rate them both for not looking after A. 's grandson Johnny, and he told them that he had seen Johnny that afternoon returning from school in a state of intoxication. They were both astounded, as neither of them knew the hoy drank anything of an intoxicating nature, and were, of course, very much grieved. Soon after Dr. Purchas had left the house, Johnny entered it, looking the very picture of health and innocence, and with not the slightest appearance of intoxication. He assured them that neither on that, nor on any other, day had lie drunk intoxicants of any sort. They were quite satislied of tlie boy's innocence, and determine to take an early opportunity of asking Dr. Pnrchas what grounds he had for the assertion he had made. A day or two afterwards they met him driving in his buo-gy, so they stopped him and asked why he had said that he saw Johnny intoxicated, telling him Johnny had entered the house almost immediately after his departure, and that they were quite sure there was nothing in his appearance to warrant the belief that he had drank any stimulant at all. "Well," said the reverend doctor, " I was told that he was intoxicated. ' Both the old gentlemen said, "You told us that you saw the boy in that state." -'No," was the reply, "you must have misunderstood me ; I said that I was told that he was so." " Then who told you so ?" was the next query. "I am not at liberty to mention the name of my informant," was the reply, They insisted on knowing who his informant was ; but he cut short the interview by jumping into his buggy and driving away. Messrs. A. and B. were by no means satisfied, so they saw Dr. Purchas again and asked him who his informant was, when he told them that he had forgotten who it was told him, and again cut the interview short by driving away.