The Observer.

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 99, 5 August 1882, Page 322

The Observer.

Saturday, August sth, 1882. WHO IS SUBRITZKY ? We Lave received the following mysterious communication from Mr Browning : ' — " The Editor, Observer, Auckland : Dear Sir,— Mr J. L. S ubritzk y, of Awanui, lias received information that certain paragraphs reflecting upon the private conduct of himself and certain members of his family have been sent to ,the Observer for publication, and will appear in its next issue. Sis son, Mr J. H. Subritzky, called at the office of the paper this morning, but as you were not in, and he was forced to leave for the North at once, I have been requested to inform 'you that Mr J. L. Subritzky objects to any statements concerning him or his family appearing in the Obseryee. I trust this notice will be sufficient ; otherwise, should the publication referred to take place, Mr Subritzky will adopt such further action as may be advised. — Yours, &c., R. Browning-. — Shortland-street, Auckland, Ist August, 1882." . <s, , This letter beats the prize conundrum at the Zulu War Diorama. .Our first impulse wos to print it among the " Hard Cases," and offer a prize to our subscribers for a solution of the puzzle. Being convinced, however, of the utter hopelessness of this method, we thought of writing to Mr Browning for an explanation ; but as that gentleman does not write such letters for nothing, and would probably charge us 6s 8d for his reply, it was considered the best course to publish the letter in the hope that some goodnatured friend will be able to throw a Taj of liglit on it. Who and what is Subritzky ? What has Subritzky been doing to raise apprehensions of paragraphs in the Observer ? And where is Awanui ? Is Subritzky a Russian, a Pole, a Laplander, or only an Irishman ? We have some faint recollection of seeing a name resembling Subritzky in the newspapers some time ago in connection with a case of alleged rape on a Maori woman, in which the accused was acquitted ; and also figuring in a prosecution for alleged perjury against certain parties in' the same case, in which . the charge also broke down. We are aware also that the name of Subritzky is as common in some countries as that of Kaskowiski, Brownsky; Jonesky, or Bobinsonsky, and therefore' we are unable to state positively whether or not the Subritzky referred to in Mr Browning's letter was in any way implicated in these cases. But up to the present moment wo have never formed the acquaintance of any member of the' great family of -the Subritzkies, nor have we seen any particular reason to desire to do so. Wo can lay our handi on our heart and solemnly say that we never harboured a thought of wrong against any Subritzky in the' wide! world, much less of publishing any paragraphs ' "reflecting upon the private conduct of his family," or even his sisters and his cousins and his aunts. We have been as oblivious of the numerous' tribe of - Subritzkies all over' the., world as if they had no existence. But since r the receipt of the above epistle we have learned

some things which have convinced us that, in neglecting this important field of research, we have overlooked many remarkable fasts which would be of absorbing interest to the student of biographical history. Therefore, without reflecting in the slightest upon any members of the family of this particular Subriczky mentioned in Mr Browning's letter, it will not be our fault in ■future if the name of Subritzky does not receive that prominence which it deserves, in spite of " such further action as may be advised,'' whatever that may mean. <&.