THE SIMPSON INQUIRY.

Observer, Volume 6, Issue 139, 12 May 1883, Page 115

THE SIMPSON INQUIRY.

" Parturiant monies, nascitur ridiculus inus " sonorously exclaimed Mr Dargavillo at a recent meeting of the Board of Education. He did not apply the quotation to the report of the committee on the Simpson case, hut had he done so he could hardly have selected a more apposite sentence to describe the result of that inquiry. The mountain has been in labour, and has brought forth a ridiculous mouso. The spectre of the ballotbox, which haunted the vivid imagination of poor Hobbs, fettered his action, and caused him to relegate the disagreeable task of belling the cat to Q-olditJj seems also to have seared some other members of the committee. With a degree of dexterity which does credit to their diplomatic ingenuity, the committee have contrived to whitewash everybody concerned in the appointment jf Mr Simpson, and to make matters pleasant all round. They "£nd no reason to reflect in any manner on the conduct of the inspector," but they mako the unfortunate secretary the scapegoat because "it appears" that he "should have directed the special attention of the Executive Committee to his (the secretary's) rninuto that Simpson's application had been previously declined, especially in view of the fact that the Board must of necessity place great reliance on the information, reports and recommendations of its officers."

But the secretary, with a natural disinclination to be made a scapegoat, is ready with an excuse. " Having been absent on sick leave at the time when the previous application in this case was dealt with by the Executive Committee and the Board, the soeretary had no special knowledge of the circumstances connected with the refusal;" and, moreover, "he supposed the Executive Committee to be aware of the circumstances." Here is a nice example of the official game of shuttlecock, or thimble and pea. Can any of our readers tell which thimblo it is under ? Of course, there was nothing for ft but to pass a vote of indemnity all round, and to say complimentary things about the officers in the style of a cozy family tea-party. The denouement of this little comedy reminds us very much of the story in Don Quixote about the alderman of Braywiek. Thi9 civic functionary had the misfortune to lose hi 3 donkey, and spent several days in a fruitless search for the animal, but meeting a brother alderman they agreed to repair to the opposite sides of a mountain and bray, in the hope that the donkey would answer, and thus betray its place of concealment. There has been a good deal of braying in this precious Simpson inquiry, and very little else. Mr Q-oldie, who fancied he saw the mark of the beast in this appointment, and a fatal blow aimed at the British Constitution and the palladium of British liberty, has mysteriously faded into the background, and is silent. He did not even attend the meeting of the Board at which the report was brought up for approval. Is he also, having an eyo to political contingencies, restrained by the shadow of the ballot-box ?

The report is like the Castle of Sebile — it is surrounded by a thick fog which no mortal eye can penetrate. There have been some mysteries influences at work to produce this " lame and impotent conclusion," but what those influences are must be left to conjecture. At any rate the cbief actors in this business, like the dead men in the last scene of " Bombastes Furioso " may rise up and join in the dance, promising, if the aiidience liko it, to repeat the interesting performance to-morrow. s\>r our part we are perfectly satisfied. We directed public attention to this scandalous appointment, not on personal grounds, but because we felt it our duty to sound a warn-ing-note, and now that everybody is exonerated and happy, we congratulate the committee and the officials on a pleasing termination to a very disagreeable business. Interpreting the concluding portion of the committee's report we take it to mean*" Not guilty this time, but don't do it again."