The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1907. THAT CUSTOMS EXPERT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2166, 23 August 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1907. THAT CUSTOMS EXPERT.

From .the discussion which has taken place as the result of an i “liocent question put by Mr. H. Davey, M.H.R., in tlio House of Representatives. a good many people will come to the conclusion that the position of Chief Customs Expert is an exceedingly lucrative nue. It appeal's that Mr. Shannon has been drawing a salary of fully £I3OO a year, and, in consequence, is placed on a level with Ministers of the Crown, High Commissioners, and other dignitaries. Naturally, having been given this much information, public curiosity demands more, and there is a pardonable desire to know precisely what this Customs expert is doing for his money. To the layman, who has not been initiated into Hie awful mysteries whereby Customs officials succeed in making life a perpetual torment for the importer of goods, it would appear that the task of supervising the working of the tariff is one by no means insuperable to a man of ordinary ability and a certain amount of experience. Mr. Shannon, naively enough, explains that by reason of his speoial knowledge he is able ■' ' check evasions of the tariff, and thus save the country thousands of pounds per year, hut it will naturally occur to one that he same remark • may he justly made by scores of other persons placed in responsible positions. If such matters could really he brought down to a basis of pounds, shillings, and pence, it would probably be found that the State lias lost, rather than gained, thousands of pounds annually as the result of the peculiar interpretation of the tariff laws, which it now appears has been solely at the mercy of this highlypaid official. Our tariff has for years been reeking with anomalies that have hampered the growth of local industries in every direction. In many cases the laws have been at fault, but in others the cause has been found in the interpretations placed upon them by the Customs officers

A feature of t'l’e present discussion which is certain to arouse considerable criticism is the extraordinary provision whereby the chief Customs Expert gets a percentage on the fines he is instrumental in having inflicted. Little wonder that under such circumstances importing firms conduct their businesses with fear and trembling, and never feel safe until their various shipments are out of bond. The principle is not only entirely wrong, but is calculated to breed distrust and deception amongst importers, and to bring discredit to a Government which stoops to such methods. One might ns well argue tliat a policeman should receive a bonus for the number of unfortunate “drunks” be takes to the lockup in a twelve months or a share of the fines received from tho unhappy cyclists whom ho discovers on tho Gisborne footpaths.

Tho most important aspect of the question, however, is not that Mr. Shannon may possibly be an overpaid official, it is that the amount of his salary has been so buried up in the public accounts that even the Ministers of the Crown were apparently unaware of the real position. Nominally the Customs Expert received £BOO a year—lie figured on the annual appropriations for that amount —in reality he received fully £SOO a year more, and this sum was included in such items as “contingencies,” so that there was nothing to show the members of the House to whom it was paid. The natural query is: “If this £SOO lias been so covered up year in and year out, how is the public to know that there may not be many other similar oases”? At the time of the celebrated voucher case it was made apparent that members of Parliament had really no opportunity for probing into the details of expenditure, as the Government of the day retain a jealous control of the public accounts, and tell no more than they wish to. Mr. Massey is undoubtedly doing good sendee to the country by demanding that the. fullest information shall be given to members regarding the expenditure of a’l public money.

Robertson's liavo a notice in this issue rogimliug lints.

Mr. H. Currie draws attention to his potatoes in another column.

A notice regarding King's Hoad in the Taruheru ltoail Board district appears in this issue.

Tree-planting in celebration ot A. bor Day will take place at the Inti tahi school to-day.

A batch of American telegrams will reach Bumfield by mail at 0.30 a.an. to-day (N.Z. time). Mails close at Bamiicld for Seattle on Mondays and Thursdays u.t 9.30 a.in. (N./5. tmio). Mr. AVitty, seeretary of the Harbor Board has rocoived a wire from Mr. W. D. Lysnar, stating that the takiu<r of evidence l'og-arding the OTSborne Harbor Bill boforo the Local Balls Committeo of tho House of Representatives was postponed uml yesterday, to enable the AYnaapu representatives to bo heard. All the evidence was taken, and Mr. Lysnai thinks that tho committee was impressed in favor of tho Bill.

A wolhatkonded meeting of the Wharf Laborers’ Union was hold last ovoning, Mr. J. Harding presiding. After routine business, the nomination of officers was proceeded with. For tho position of president, Messrs. J. Fitzmaurico, J. C. Hardin Or. Ansoll, and J. Farlpy were nominated For all the offices there woie a largo number of nominations, .'indicating keen interest in tho aftans ot tho union. Tho election will bo decided at next mooting.

The third of the senes oi socials under the auspices of the Gisborne City Baud was held last evening in His' Majesty’s Theatre. Upwards ot 50 couples were present, and a long programme of dances was gone through. - Mr, H. Miller carried out tho duties of M.C. in Ins well-know n "style. The supper, which was supplied by Mr. D. Dustin, was all that could be desired. Extras were played by Miss D. Roderick and Solomon Kiwi. A most enjoyable evening s dancing was brought to a close at 12.30.

Professor and Miss Syl.ia Bates gave an exhibition of rough-ruling last evening, there being a fair attendance. The Professor performed some clever feats with the lassoo, ot which he is a master. Miss Bates redo a buck-jumping bullock, whose eccentricities delighted the audience, but did not appear to disconcert the plucky rider. “Shooting the hwrseth.ief” was also an interesting item, which called forth the applause of tho audience. On Saturday evening next the Professor intends giving another exhibition, when he hopes to bo in possession of the promised buckjunnpers.

The Rev. J. C. Jamieson, organising secretary of the New Zealand Presbyterian Bible Class Union and the Sunday School Union, in addressing those jrresent at the Bible Class Social rally* held in the class-room adjoining St. Andrew’s Church last evening, gave some valuable advice as to the best methods of inareasing the membership of tho classes. He stated that in America the membership of the Bible classes increased from 30,000 to 200,000 in a very short time. An excellent supper was provided by the ladies. At the close of the evening Mr. Yairdley asked the gentlemen membors of the church to form a working bee to level the church grounds.

At a meeting of the Gisborne Rechabite Tent last evening a presentation of a morocco-hound lockot wallet was made to Bro. E. A. Slack, who is leaving the district for Wairoa, to assist in the management of the “AVairoa Guardian.” Bro. D. AV. Coleman, Chief Ruler, in making W. Coleman, Chief Ruler, in making tho presentation, referred to Bro. Slack’s long connection with the Tent, he having been one of the founders and one of the first Chief Rulers of the Tent. At various times he had filled the positions of secretary and auditor, and at present acted as a trustee. Bro. Slack suitably replied, and stated that he would do his best to establish a Rechabite Tent in AVairoa, but at the same time would retain his connection with tho local branch. Bro. T. A. Holdswortli was appointed to fill the vacancy as trustee, rendered vacant by Bro. Slack’s departure.

Promoted in aid of the Catholic Bazaar Fund, the euchre tournament and dance held in Whinray’.s Hall last evening was a gratifying success. A large number sat down to the euchre tournament, which provided a pleasing contest and an interesting finish. Miss Kitty Walters carried off the ladies’ prize, with Miss C. Haughie second. Mr. B. Dudfield was victorious in the gentlemen’s division, Mr. Devery being in second place. Tie- unhappy recipients of the booby prizes were Miss O’Connor and Mr. J. Smith. The prizes (donated by Mr. Segedin) were handed to the winners (and losers) by Air. Doyle. After tastv refreshments the hall was cleared for dancing, which was kept, up with zest till midnight. Messrs. M. Doyle and J. Martin officiated as M.C.’s, and Miss Neill was pianist. Mesdames Finn and F. Alartin and Aliss Neill were prominent on a committee, to whom a word of praise is due for callable management.

An interim judgment in the AraiAlatawai ‘case was delivered bv his Honor Judge Jones at the Native Land Court yesterday afternoon, in the presence of a large gathering of those interested. The Court ruled that the claim that the land was only to go to loyal Natives could not be sustained. At tho time of the gift the war had ceased, and all the portions confiscated that had not been retained by the Government were unreservedly given back to the people from whom the land was taken. It was pointed out that Rongoliahaki proper had suffered the most of all beoause their land was .in the vicinity of Gisborne, and this block, being of no use to tho Government for the purpose for which it had been intended, viz., a Maori military settlement, tlie Government, in response to the wishes of the people, returned it too. It could not therefore be now claimed that it was really a payment for loyalty. . The Court found that tho two claimants, Rewiti AVirihana and Tiaare Ktiramoa, had no ancestral and occupationary. rights entitling them to be admitted as equal to the proper 'owners of the soil. This judgment disposed of 32 claims made. Of the remaining 30, 24 were admitted as -proper ones,, and six others were admitted as having smaller rights. The Court will now proceed with fixing the list of names and allotting the shares.