Stories from Deli

De locomotief 04-08-1920

One can be mayor and be called Baron Mackay and still lack in one’s conduct what is called “tact”. We read in the Deli newspaper that mayor Baron Mackay of Medan sent the following official letter to the wealthy Chinese council member Tjong A Fie:
To my regret I discovered that you have scheduled your reception on the date on which I had already called a council meeting on the 10th of this month. The intention on your part, since it was known to you as a municipal council member that a council meeting was called for the 16th of this month, to schedule your reception on the same date, is unknown to me. I politely request you, since I have had the experience that you do not take into account, as a council member myself, the date of a council meeting scheduled by me in relation to the date of a reception to be held by you—to inform me in good time of the dates of receptions to be held by you, so that they can be taken into account when determining the dates of council meetings. I consider myself obliged to make this request, since it has become apparent time and again how much effort it takes to gather a sufficient number of members of the municipal council to hold a meeting.

This note does not seem to have been particularly well received by Mr. Tjong A Fie. At least, he replied to the mayor briefly and concisely:
In response to your letter, I have the honor to inform Your Honor that I reserve the right to regulate my private affairs and therefore politely request Your Honor to refrain from further correspondence on this matter. In his response, the mayor acknowledged that everyone has the right to reserve the right to regulate his own private affairs.