The Humorous Side of Dummyism.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1679, 27 February 1885, Page 2

The Humorous Side of Dummyism.

Thebe was a slight element of fun in the investigation which lately took place at Dunedin into some cases of alleged dumtnyism in the Waitahuna West District. Some of the selectors of sections had been treated with remarkable kindness and generosily by the Messrs Smith, who are large runholders in that locality. The benevolent Messrs Smith lent these selectors money without security and at ten per cent interest, being in truth ready to do anything for them. When Mr J. Smith was being cross examined, counsel exclaimed, referring to this generosity “ Ah, I wish 1 was one of your friends, Mr Smith.” “ Well,” retorted Mr Smith, “ I am not at’all sorry that you are not,” which was a tolerably neat hit. Then another witness was asked how would Mr Smith recover money advanced to witness if the latter died. “ Oh, he could take the old woman,” replied the witness, This very peculiar method of obtaining satisfaction for a debt appeared to astound and scandalise the highly virtuous commissioners. But the witness did not mean any harm after all, as he afterwards explained, that what ho des red to convey was that if he should die nis wife would endeavor to pay his debt to Mr Smith—a course which if “ the old woman ” were honest, she would probably adopt. We have been reading the very long reports of this enquiry, and have come to the conclusion that there is a good deal of “ dummyism ” down Waitahuna way.