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Observer, Volume 2, Issue 36, 21 May 1881, Page 385

That many of the legal fraternity in Auckland are not above perpetrating a little bit of sharp practice at times " goes without saying," but for contemptible meanness of the shabbiest description commend us to the hero of the following yarn. You all know little V., who flits about Queen-street promoting speculative ventures of one kind and another, and at night spends his well-earned leisure in mouthln°Shakespeare at tea-fights, and otherwise assist^ ing charitable entertainments. Well, there was a penny-reading in the suburbs the other evening, and, as usual, V. was asked to assist. (No affair of the kind would, in point of fact, be complete without him. ) V. promptly assented and pledged himself to recite the historic speech of some- renowned lawyer — possibly Sergeant 13uzfuz — in costume. He then proceeded to procure a wig and gown. The latter was easily borrowed, but the little man felt a natural delicacy in asking for the loan of a wig. However, he went and saw a budding legal luminary, and explained the circumstances to him. This gentleman replied that he would have been glad

to be able to oblige V., but, to speak frankly, he had a foolish prejudice against lending his hat or his wig, or his night-cap, to anyone. ' ' Mind, " he added, ' ' I don't wish to cast any reflection on the state of your head, V.; indeed it looks beautifully clean, but it is just a fad of mine." "All right," quoth V. good humouredly, and trotted off to see another acquaintance, whom (as his name is unknown to us) we will call K. This worthy Avas in and said "yes" he would gladly lend his wig. It happened to be up at the court just now, but if V. would call in on the morrow he could have it. Well, V. looked in as directed next day, and received the wig from the office-boy, who, for some reason or other, didn't seem to altogether like giving it up in his master's absence. However, V . didn't think much of this and proceeded to study his recitation, which we need scarcely say proved a brilliant success.