ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 658, 4 August 1852, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New Zealandeb. Sir, — I begto forward you an extract from aletter, received from New Plymouth, per Eclair. What a pity it is, that after all the aptness displayed hy Mr. Councilor Abraham in our Auckland Town Council for taking part in legislative functions of a higher order, the new Provincial Council will in all likelihood be deprived of his invaluable services. Why, he must have been instant in season and out of season in his study of the Blue Books and other multifarious and voluminious papers connected with New Zealand affairs, to have such piles of them always at his finger ends when any great question, such as the — " Seal of the Borough," or the " Dog Tax," the « Oddfellows invitation," or the "Governor's Ball," was brought under consideration. It was apparent at every sitting that he knew he was expected to say a great deal, and took pains to prepare himself accordingly, that he might be ever conspicuously ready to shed light on any subject— so long as such undignified things as roads or drains, fireengines, or asylums, chimney-sweepers, or "causey cleaners," were not thrust within the range of his comprehensive view. And then to think of all this waste of the midnight oil in profound research through the intricacies of our Colonial questions, — all now to less purpose than water spilt upon the ground ; — that the light acquired by such industrious "reading up" is to be permitted to remain under a bushel. And then, again, how extremely desirable that a tone should be given to our Legislative debates — that every thing like 'vulgar "Colonialisms" should be avoided in discussion. And who among the Candidates named more likely to set up a high standard in this respect, than the gentleman whose chasteness and elegance of style, and manner of address, were so peculiarly distinguishable even in the Common Council debates of our Borough^ And only think pf such an one, shining as he did in the rehearsals, shut out from the great performance by these undiscerning New Plymouthonians ! Could nothing be done in the Suburbs \ Surely one tried man is worth many untried. It ought not be so very hard to link the East and West Suburban Wards together for such a purpose. Their representatives seemed to act as one man the other day in the Council Chamber. Could not such another simultaneous movement be arranged among the Electors even now at the eleventh hour on behalf of Mr. Abraham ? What's to hinder, I know not. Surely the East Suburbans to a man ought to rally round him who has represented them so nobly — and the West Suburbans might be readilr brought over to the poll in the " Exchange Van," or the " Election Dog Cart," — for one draught of either vehicle would nearly convey the whole of the Alderman's constituency. Perhaps they might be less tractable and " obsequious" than himself, and refuse to follow so closely as he did in the wake of Mr. Abraham. But after all the numbers are so insignificant that the hire of the Omnibus might be saved for a better purpose. — • Oh ! sir, hoAv I wish that something could be done,

for really as matters stand below it is vexingvery ! — Yours, &c, j > > An Observer. ♦ * ♦ • * " The Auckland people must try and make a place for Mr. Abraham somewhere withm their own Borough— which returns no less than eight of the twelve representatives for the Province. He is hest known to you there ; for ourselves we must be allowed to choose our own men. Did the parties who arranged a seat for him for our settlement think that we Avould prefer a stranger, only known to us through their recommendation and the newspaper reports of his doings in the Auckja»d Coloration, to men who we can select from amongst ourselves, who know the feelings, wants, and circumstances of our district } It seems so, but they have found themselves to have been grealty mistaken. "New Plymouth, July 20."

To the Editor of the New Zealajtder. Sir,— As one of the few " Spectators" present at the Common Council meeting the other day, I should like to he allowed to give my evidence in the case now in dispute between the Mayor and the Cross. I am not a wholesale admirer of Ms Worship's official conduct ; but Ido think he was most scurvily treated at the last meeting hy a member from whom, at least good manners might have been expected. To bay nothing of the bad taste exhibited by Mr. Abraham, or the indecent and indecorous expressions used by him in dealing with a subject that it would very ill become the bulk of the burgesses to treat with ] ev ity — not being so far removed as Mr. Abraham is from the loss of property by the perils of fire, — yet, his conduct in immediately leaving the 'room after finishing what he had to say, before he knew whetlier a reply was forthcoming or not, appeared to me to be the most ungenerous, and of course ungentlemanly, and this view of it seemed to be generally taken in the stranger's gallery. I cannot tell whether the Mayor had any intention of replying to Mr. Abraham, — but, if lie had, the subject before the meeting was the one which they were called there to consider, on which every other member present had a right to express his sentiments as well as Mr. Abraham, who should have known that it was right for the Mayor to wait till he ascertained whether any others wished to speak before he took up his own defence against a personal attack. Indeed, I am told that one member at least did intend to rise, but before he could arrange his thoughts, which Jiad been diverted from the legitimate business of the meeting by Mr. Abraham's irrelevant flippancy, the Council was broken up by, what looked very like a pre-avrangement, Mr. Abraham, and his colleague in this unbecoming proceeding, putting on their hats and leaving the Mayor sitting without a quorum. These members were noticed going along chuckling over their well managed manoeuvre, and hurrying 'down to hand infthe copies of their speeches to the mover of the spring, rejoicing over their appearing in print with it all their own way — and no rejoinder. Now I believe I could call to mind thsoe who were present at the exhibition I have described, and I am sure that except the writer of the letter in this day's Cross (which from its alliterative style and other internal evidences, leads me to opine that it was penned not far from the front transparency of that office) all would concur in what I have stated. As for the Mayor expecting an honest report in the Cross of proceedings connected with any ; matter on uhicli Mr. Brown takes aside he must be a stranger to the usual practice of which 'Mr. William Forsyth had to complain, in the i report of a case of his in the Resident Magis- ! trate's Court, by which he felt himself much aggrieved and injured, and, in a letter to the Cross, which they refused to publish, but which may be found in the New Zealander of the 28tn December, 1850, accused Mr. Brown's paper of making " erroneous reports and wilful misstatements," and addressing him said, " You dare iiot venture to allow a true version of the eases to appear in your paper lest your untruthful charges should rebound on yourself." " Mr. Mayor Clark" will gather from this extract how nearly alike Mr. William Forsyth and lie have been treated. — Yours, &c, Another Spectator. Auckland, August 3.