ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. Corporation Windbags.—Explosion !

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 659, 7 August 1852, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. Corporation Windbags. —Explosion !

To the Editor of the Nkw Zealander. Sir,— Nothing is more significant of the deep game that is being played in connectioii with the coming Elections by the gentry who compose what is called Opposition, and that the result is still in the balance, than the altered tone and bated breath of that respectable print and organ of tbe party, the Southern Cross. If any one will take the trouble to compare the editorial columns and original correspondence of that journal during the period of excitement preceding the late Municipal election, tvith the leaders and highly original communications of the current numbers, he cannot fail to be struck with the change, nor to rejoice at it from whatever cause it arises ; whether it be a sudden, and, in effect, a somewhat late conversion to good taste and propriety — as I sincerely hope it is — or results from a wholesome/ear that a continued indulgence in its old habits might lead to such an unpleasant expression of public opinion at the hustings as would derange the plans of the firm which modestly desires to send only three or four of its members into the Legislative Council, the change ia most welcome. The most pi o voicing opportunities for making mischief, or of applauding those who work the mischief which the Cross projects, are suffered to pass by in silence, while the excellent proprietor — the Alpha of the constellation — who, I suppose, at present " illuminates, ■not burns," sits complacently writing, after the manner of the wbrthy and world-famous Mr. Toots, ''long and important letters to himself,' 1 about religious liberty and cheap land, and, m the overflowing of his kindness, also favours us with bis replies. I am led, Sir, to these remarks by the conduct of the Cross with respect to the late pioceedings in the Municipal Council Chamber, on which that paper has preserved the rao«t rigid Bil-uice. Why 1 Was it so light a matter? The Chief Magistrate of a borough, with 8000 inhabitants, was insulted in his official place— advisedly, and by previous arrangement, as I am forced to believe — by two of his Councillors, and their conduct was highly approved by a third, whose " atmosphere" that style suited admirably.: yet we hear no word of animadversion, see no cign of approval. A communication from the Government, whether well timed, or perfectly formal, or hap. piJy Virorded, Ido not decide— yet of which the object was excellent, being nothing less than the prevention of a catastrophe which any care'ess housekeeper or drunken citizen may' precipitate — the destruction of the town by fire — a catastrophe which, if it arise, will find us wholly unprepared, and will leave us beggars — was received with the most supercilious contempt by would-be legislators. Still the Cross is silentl Now, either the proceedings in the Chamber on Wed«esday last were right or wrong. It was highly commendable to insult the Mayor, to despise the suggestion of the Government, .rudely to break up the official *guorttm and prevent the other members from offering an opinion, or, it was highly discreditable ; in either case we had a right to expect some notice of the mat ter frona the Cioss, which has been from the first the oracle of the Council, and the spring by which all its movements appear to have been regulated, and which iias never failed to applaud when they have ened, or to abuse them when they have been inclined to do light. Can ir,6ir, ba possible that the pitiful fear of losing a few votes for himself or his tail has caused the thunderer to hide his face — ban the " consistent," the '* fearless," the " unflinching" Cr ss become the timid, fluttering, wavering Cross in view of thp hustings — or is the C>oss •"ratting." Oh, fie, Mr. Cross! In gathering votes you are nae alack ; Now stand as tightly by your tack ; Ne'er claw your lu°r, an 1 fidge your bacV, An' hum an' baw — But raise your arm, an' tell your craclc Before them a. As there seems to be some difference of opinion as to the precise order of the disorder on the occasion in question, may I be permitted to record my impressions of the scene. I was present, a not unconcerned spectator. I have always considered it unfortunate that t small but active faction should have been permitted by the public apathy to pack the Municipal Council with their own creaturea for the furtherance of their own views ; but 1 have never deplored it so much as on the late occasion, because 1 think that the character of a whole community for common sense and propriety has been compromised by the proceedings of thin Corporation. I cannot doubt th,it the programme was carefully arranged. Alderman James O'Neill was brimful of eloquence ; indeed, I must do him tbe justice to say that lie never had his speech so well by heart upon any of the occasions on which I have had the happiness to hear him ; it was certainly not at all to the purpose, but that was not the fault of the speaker- There was a mare's nest suspected somewhere, and when the mare'a nest was found, and nothing more" traitorous" discovered in it than the honourable Colonial Secretary's letters, the Alderman's cue was lost, but as he had nothing else "handy'" he thought he would recite bis spepcb "to Bunkum," and so he did. " Noth.ng," said Franklin, *' ia certain in this world but death and taxes."—Aldertnnn O'NeiU declares he has saved us from taxation. Fianklin was not, I believe, an Alderman, let us therefore rejoice in the man who can shield us from an evil which the simple American sage regarded as being inevitable as tbe grave. If our sage appears in the coming legislature, let as hope that he will cultivate what Carlylo calls the «< Divine silences," and try to do something. His fame as a stump orator is secure — in Bunkum. Mr. Councillor Abraham foHowed. His speech is accurately reported, and I hope be is proud of it. His delivery greatly enhanced the effect. I thmk, Sir, that whatever may be the "quality of the official mind" or manners in this province, they would not be improved by any infusion of Mr. Councillor Abraham's mind or manners— as they are displayed in public at least. It seems to be a moot point whether the learned gentleman <f immediately," that is hastily, retired, or waited courteously to give an opportunity of rpply to any oik* so disposed. The learned gentleman did neither— having finished his speech, and accomplished tbe purpose for which he came, he at once, with the coolness of contempt picked up his pnpers, put on his hat in a room where every one sat uncovered, thrust bis hands deep into his pockets and then lounged by tbe longest route to the door. If Mr. Abraham, in his transit had indulged in bis favouiite bit of pantomime, thrusting out hi, somewhat long tongue, and rolling his eyes, his performance would have been complete—un-fortunately-ting was forgotten. His exit was followed by that of Alderman O'Neill, Mr. Norman highly applauding, and delivering it as his solemn conviction that nny uovernment which interfered to prevent the destruction of the town by fire deserved to be treated with the utmost contempt. Sic transit, said his Worship, gloria muvdi,—if lh e Auckland Corporation is indeed one of theglonous things of this earth, I, with almost every other man in tins colony, pray that «' we ne'er may look upon its like again." I am, Sir, &c, &c, X. Auckland, August 6th, 1852.

To the Editor of the New Zealander. Sin,— That the " gross incorrectness" in tlio matter of the report of the proceedings at the last sitting of the Municipal Council lies with the Southern Cioss, and not with its "partisan-like censor 1 ' (wlmtever that may

happen to mean) could not have been more satisfac" torily proven than by the Exempla Gratia afforded by its own correspondent, "Another Spectator." Surely tho idna which would be conveyed to the mind of any reader by the perusal of the two extracts must be as dissimilar in each case as possible. Will you afford me room for a parallelism of a somewhat different description to that in " Another Spectator's" letter to the Cross. Evidence of a "Spectator Evidence of the Mayor of the late deplorable presiding at the Meeting exhibition." in question. New Zealander, July 31. Southern Cross, August 3. " Mr. Abraham did not " But the most glaring give an opportunity to the misrepresentation is in the Mayor or any other mem- concluding paragraph, ber to explain or reply." where the public is led to believe that no one \*as disposed to speak after Mr ! Abraham had done, in face of tbe fact that Mr. Abraham immediately left the meeting, followed by Mr. O'Neill, without allowing any opportunity to leplv." Add to these the evidence of ' Another Spectator" in Wednesday's Ntw Zealander — "Mr. Abraham's conduct, in immediately leaving the room after finishing what he had to say, before he knew whether a reply was forthcoming or not ;" and with this evidence lam prepared to go before the public for their judgment of the case. As to the word "lie" in such offensively italitiseil " protuberancy " in the Gross's " Another SpectatorV letter, it is somewhat against my '* good old English style" to bandy such words in my pre°ent anonymous character. I made myself responsible to you, Sir, for the truth of my letter by enclosing mv card ; if it was not supererogatory in his case for the editor of the Southern Crost to take the same guarantee ; and if the correspondent is not the editor himself, with knightly eagerness for the fray, doing battle in bis own cause under a closed visor, (as, by the refinement and elegance of the wordy weapons, I strongly suspect), I am quite willing to doff the' masquerading fleshings of our anonymous guise, and stand out with him in propria persona. A SpCCTATOn OF THE LATE DtPLORARLE ExiIIBITIO.