MUNICIPAL CORRUPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 233, 29 September 1908, Page 4

MUNICIPAL CORRUPTION.

The sentences passed upon the Mile End guardians recently convicted of corruption appear to have been regarded at Home as quite exemplary in their severity. The man chiefly responsible for the disgraceful condition of things revealed at the trial received two years' hard labour, and loud cries of "Shame!" were raised in court when sentence was pronounced. Nine other accused were sentenced to terms of imprisonment varying from 6 to 15 months, and were fined from £25 to £250. Considering the responsible positions held by these men, as trustees of public funds, and administrators of public institutions, it seems to us that even heavier penalties might justifiably have been inflicted, for the evidence disclosed the existence of an elaborate system of bribery and malversation, which could not possibly be excused by the plea of ignorance or inadvertence or extenuated as a casual error of judgment. And it must not be forgotten that the Mile End scandal by no means stands alone in England's recent criminal records. The corruption disclosed at Poplar, at West Ham, and in other municipalities, during tlta put thiee yean, raggwU a__ly too _**■

ibly that there is a growing tendency among public officials at Home to regard as a fair perquisite whatever they can make out of their control of public funds. It is probable that this deplorable condition of things has been due at least in part to the bewilderment of inexperienced men suddenly called to assume responsibilities for which they were obviously unfitted. And there is no doubt tha* the democratisation of municipal government, which is one of the -most striking features of modern public life, has advanced to public positions officials, who, having had no previous control of financial affairs on a large scale, were less likely than more experienced men to avoid all appearance of evil. But, whatever be the source of this corruption, there is no doubt that it has already become widespread, and that it is tolerated or connived at in many quarters; and the sentences passed upon the Mile End guardians will do an inestimable service to the nation if they prove severe enough to act as an effective deterrent and warning.