Municipal Corruption.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 197, 2 April 1887, Page 3

Municipal Corruption.

All England ia to-day discussing the hsue> of the case of municipal Jbribery at Salford, Lancashire, with special interest because, although it is often charged that the whole governing system from the War and Navy down to the veetr> is he neycombed with fraud, this is the first time it has got into Court. Hunter, who is the Gas Engineer of the Corporation, was recently charged by a coal merchant, named Lever, in a letter to the Mayor and Aldermen, with exacting commissions of from 25 to 35 centß a ton on all the great amount of coal he bought. Hunter brought a charge of criminal libel, the effect of which was to prevent Lever from testifying in his own behalf, . The four days' trial developed the facts that practically all the coal merchants in Lancashire had known for years that Hunter was thus plundering the trade, that the Alderman had seen him spending £5,000 on an income of £800, and investing £2,000 in a single enterprise without ever asking a question, and that the practice was a common one among like officials in other corporationa. The Judge charged sharply against Hunter, specially blaming him for closing Lever's mouth by a criminal instead of a civil action. The jury acquitted Lever amid loud cheers from a crowded court, which the judge wa9 powerless to prevent. Lever was followed out and cheered id tl $ streets of Manchester by a great throng. When he reached his home in Bowdon, he was make the object of a popular demonstration by bands of tradesmen, delegation?; etc., although the resuM; of the trial had only been known an hour or so. Numerous trials will follow, and, perhaps, lead %o general inquiry. If they do, the state of things revealed will rival affairs disclosed in New York, < ,