After reading the topic, OP has mistaken his sMerit with Merit, therefore saying "So I had 1000 merits so I tested all the possibilities" or "I had 1000 merits, for me 30 do not mean anything.".
But even if that's so, why would you give it to some random dude when you can find some quality post to give it instead, even to that HODL post. Sending some random user 50 merit just for the purpose of testing (like sending 1 merit instead of 50 isn't practically the same thing) is plain dumb.
I think members who did it within 1 -2 days after the merit system was launched can be given benefit of doubt. It is very much possible that they did this by mistake.
Clicked on a random user +merit, typed in 50 and pressed "send" by mistake...