EATING THE LEEK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1125, 22 June 1867, Page 6

EATING THE LEEK.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Herald. Sik, —Will you and your readers turn with me to tho issue of the Southern Cross for Friday the 14th in at., (tho date, by the way, of which paper, as printed over tho load'Ug article, is Thursday, June 13), and you will find in tho leader on tho lato trial of Rosie v. Bain, tho following passage:— "It is perhaps rather much to have to pay for a single lesson in manners and deportment; but dear as the lesson may be, tho Board will bo extremely lucky if they get off with paying the costs in this single action. For pay the costs they must. Ono farthing of the public money must not be applied to that purpose —cannot bo legally so applied. It is as well to warn tho Board iu time that they may bo restrained by injunction from' applying tho public money to defend actions brought against thcmsolves as mcmbors of tho Board; arid that in ovoiy single instance in which public money has been so applied they are personally liable to an action."' Thus wrote tho Editor of the Cross on tho 14th in at., fancying, I suppose, that ho would have public opinion with him, and that then, in tho event of Buch a course being carried out, he would, in a futuro issue, bo ablo to say, "In consequence of tho attention drawn to tho matter by tho Daily Southern Cross the pockots of the ratepayers have been Baved, &c." Ho reckoned, however, without his host, and now, !Lfa v, let us see how he figures on the scoro of consistency. Yesterday Mr. Wynn carried a b'U of indemnity to tho members of the City Board through the Provincial Council. It was read a second time, passed through the committee without amendment, read a third timo, and passed that afternoon. Where was Mr. Creighton, tho member for Newton, and the Bditor of the Southern Cross on that occasion ? Was he in his place in Council opposing tooth and nail the following clause in the City Board Act 18G3 Amendment Act, passed through tho Council on Thursday and which is so diametrically opposed to his opinions expressed on tho 14th instant. " That it shall and may be lawful for the members cf the City Board of Commissioners for the time being to pay out of the Kates collectGd or to be collected by virtue of the said Act all costs charges and expenses incurred by the said Members any or either of them iu consequence of any actions or suits which have been or which may hereafter be brought by or against any such members in re3pect of any works undertaken by such members in pursuance of tho powers contained in the said Act." No, sir, for tho first time this session the member for Newton did not go down tho to House. Big as his words were in the Cross of tho 14th, on tho 20th he ate them—yes, sir, ate the leok—not in Counc'. 1 , but quietly, I suppose, in tho privacy of the editorial sanctum.—l am, &c., A Loyeh op Consistency. Auckland, Juno2lst, 1867.