THE GUILTY QUARTETTE

NZ Truth, Issue 973, 19 July 1924, Page 5

THE GUILTY QUARTETTE

Local Body Graft Exposed

Four Members Fined.

[From "Truth's" South Auckland Rep.)

■''. A grave local body scandal has been declared ty the decision of Mr. H. A. Young, S.M., following the prosecution of four members of the Mangaw*ara River Board. His Worship found- that these four men, who were entrusted by the ratepayers with the conduct of their, business and the expenditure of their money, had subordinated to their private interests their duty as members of the Board and their responsibility to the whole of the ratepayers. '.::, As a result of his Worship's decision, J. Law, F. Herbert, F. R. Catley and E. C. Pllklngton were deprived of their, seats on the Board and each fined £10 and costs. A resume of the evidence given at the hearing of the prosecutions was published m "Truth" a couple of weeks ago, the defendants having been charged With - contravening ..section 54 of the River Boards Act 1808, by' voting on a matter In wl\lch they were directly financially interested. Expressing himself In no uncertain terms, his Worship held that, defendants had, made a deliberate attempt to deprive the Board of its rights, and said they knowingly 1 offended against the section under which they were charged. They had . instructed a 'certain firm of solicitors to proceed against the Board m order to quash an order for costs made against them (defendants), and in' acting as they did had subordinated to their private Interests their duty to the Board and their responsibility to the ratepayers. They had deliberately voted '■■ for a motion to cause the J3oard td fall m its duty of 'adequately presenting its case before a commission. '■'.*•'' ■ It* was extraordinary, continued his .Worship. . that meu who, m their, . private capacity were suing the Board, should propose, m their capacity as members of the Board, that the same solicitors be the Board's solicitors. After the meeting was over the defendant Pilkington was informed that the Board had nine days m which to file a defence to the proceedings, but m his capacity as chairman, he did not

(O.C. Southern Command.)

Soldiers are perfect devils m their

way: When once they're raised, they re cursed hard to lay

Gay.