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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 205, 6 October 1888, Page 2

A BUNGLE—WHQ’S TO BLAME ? Wa have had lately so often iq refer to matters concerning the Harbor Board that the subject must bare become tiresome to our readers, but there are constantly recurring circumstances which compel 111 to revert to the subject. Amongst the victims of the late orusads against the ratepayers was Mr E. P. Joyce. Judgment was confessed and the amount duly paid on August 7, a receipt signed by one of the Court officials being given in return, Notwithstanding this, a judgment summons was applied for and issued on September 6, just one month attar payment. Thlsreilsgsd that ifctdult had Dettij made, add

called upon Mr Joyce to show cause why he should rot bo committed to prison for default. It is evident that someone has been grossly negligent in this matter. In the first place it is not usual to issue a judgment summons where a man has property that can be made to pay the debt: to issue a judgment summons against a man like Mr Joyce is a wanton insult. In any case it is shameful that it is possible for any member of the community to be harassed in this way. In the next place, and which is of more direct importance to the ratepayers generally, care should have been taken that when the money was paid it would have put an end to the matter, for had not the mistake been discovered in time, and Mr Joyce had been committed, he would most

likely have had an action against the Board. As it is we do not know but that he may have some redress even now. He has at any rate been put to the expense of engaging a solicitor, to say nothing of the worry of a man in Mr Joyce’s position. The Board has at least lost in actual cash the five shillings paid for the summons, but the principle is the main point. Who, we ask, is to blame for this dangerous bungle? It cannot be Mr Bourke, for he did not receive the money until last week, about two months after it waspaid, although it was taken out of Court shortly afterwards—still more strange. We again ask, who is responsible ?—who is to blame ?