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Observer, Volume 2, Issue 34, 7 May 1881, Page 361

Mr. E. K. Tyler has confided to a few chosen friencls that the first time he gets the shadoAV of a "slant " he means to make things " sultry" for the Observer. The avoAval is not perhaps a very dignified one, but it has the merit of frankness, and Aye much prefer an open enemy to a false friend. Our readers Avill hardly credit the statement, but it is nevertheless strictly true that many of those AA r ho revile us publicly in the most unmeasured terms are sub rosa contributors to the paper, ancl never lose an opportunity of trying to sneak in some apparently innocent par. Avhich yet has a hidden meaning calculated to annoy. We caught one of these contemptible creatures out last Aveek, and shall reAvard him for his amiability Avhen opportunity offers. People are sometimes surprised at what, goes into the paper, but they Avould be still more astonished if they could see Avhat Aye keep out. Every post brings in four or five letters containing social items of more or less interest ; yet it rarely happens that one of them is suitable for publication. Nine-tenths are either palpably malicious or simply stupid. An idea, Aye are aAvare, prevails that nearly all the pars, in the Observer are contributed. This, hoAveA r er, is a mistake. With the exception of perhaps three-quarters of a column the paper is Avritten solely by the editor and his paid staff. We Avish people (and especially ladies) would contribute rather more freely. They need be under no apprehension that their names Avill ever leak out. The editor alone opens all letters, and when a private name and address is enclosed — as a guarantee of authenticity — it is (unless the circumstances are exceptional) at once destroyed.

There is an hotel-keeper in Auckland — an inflated pompous personage — Avho sets up for being a very moral man, and looks aa if "butter wouldn't melt in his mouth." This creature (though you Avouldn't suspect him of it) has a history. _ He commenced life as a counterjumper in the old country, and married com paratively young a very worthy woman, by whom he had one daughter. His mother-in-law did him a turn by dying soon after the wedding and leaving his Avife £800. With this, the then happy couple purchased an hotel in the town of L , and thrived for a time. But Foodie (as Aye Avill call our friend) is naturally a muddler He behaA r ed more like a Pope of Rome than a host to his guests, ignored their simplest requests, and generally made them so uncomfortable that after paying one visit to his house they voAved never to go there again. As a natural result the hotel failed, and Foodie had to re-commence life in the capacity of a "bagman," or, in other words, as a "commercial traveller." Unfortunately, he proved himself even a bigger fool in this business than in the previous one, and at length his affairs coming to a crisis he quietly gave his- wife and daughter the slip, and came out here.