AN EXPRESSIVE CRITICISM ON A PROVINCIAL COUNCILLOR.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1306, 15 April 1874, Page 2

AN EXPRESSIVE CRITICISM ON A PROVINCIAL COUNCILLOR.

The liveliest newspaper war that has ever arisen in the province is now proceeding at Coromandel. The Coromandel Mail, the original and most widely circulated journal on the goldfield, for long treated with disdain the attacks made upon it by a little opposition paper recently started there called the News. At length the Mail entered the fray, and has satirised -the News' conductors in a way unequalled in colonial journalism. From yesterday's Mail we extract the following referring to the attempt now being made to secure the Murray for the Coromandel trade, which we i republish as a sample of the pungent criticism at present being applied to Coromandel matters :—" The impudence of old Jerry is something to admire. Ten days ago we drew attention to his clumsy attempts at doing Superintendent beyond the range, but we have just learned of an incident that shows he aspires not only to wield the power of the Chief Magistrate, but to be Superintendent and Provincial Council rolled into one. The dramatis persona were tbe elect of Coromandel, and a steamboat proprietor, who as a ' bairn burned,' dreads having much to do with the 'Friday' of the News, and'consequently declines to patronise that apology for a paper. Cadman had the ' dhudden' as usual in his mouth, and while wiping his moustaches on. both sides, as is his wont when his temper is sour, thus spoke :—' So you 'ont give the advertisement to the News. Mind, sur, ye wull be sarry for keepin it from oor joornel ; the soobsidies wull be cummin on direckly and you will be left out in the cold.' In reply, the steamboat proprietor called him an old ' Sneak,' and said if' the subsidy depended on his giving an advertisement he might go to the d . Now for the truth of this incident we are in a position to vouch, and it is indeed deplorable that Provincial in stitutions should have,, come to such a pass that such a man can—we will not say wield such _ power—but have the impudence to attempt to prostitute his position and the public money of the people -of this province to effect such a paltry object. The unfortunate periodical that is dragging out an existence with the death-rattle in its throat must be hard pushed indeed for a little sustenance when its godfather makes so huge an effort for so very little, and makes his direct threat for a couple of shillings. Poor News, if it ware not for the viciousnes of your friends we would pity you. Poor Cadman, if it were not for your impotence what a work you would do. But there are other people in the Provincial Council besides Jerome Cadman, and subsidies will be given not to favour friends or spite foes, but as may be considered best for the .yelfare of the country. We are quite sure that if men of the Cadman class constituted a majority in the Council the bitterness and spitefulness of lilliputian intellects and pigmy aspirations would guide the distribution of public funds. Thank goodness, however, the Council consists mainly of gentlemen whose honourable minds would shrink from contact with a sneaking underhand attempt to spite or favour at the expense of the pockets of the people." And a man_ who would avail himself of his position to dip his hand into the public purse to benefit those who pecuniarily benefit himself would—well, we shall not say what he would do, but we expect that he would be capable of sending off his creditors with 0 in } the £, and then proceed in business more merrily than before.