THE HARBOR LITIGATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4897, 24 June 1887, Page 2

THE HARBOR LITIGATION.

To-day the security for costs in tho action against the Harbor Board had to be given by " the other side" to enable the case to go on. There was a good deal of interest shown as the day went on as to whether any one would come up to scratch and risk a little money where they have been so liberal in noise and blether. It was wondered whether there was even a solid one hundred pounds behind all the uproar that was kicked up and kept at bo persistently for months, — an uproar that many thought, could bo only based on insanity or a very low motive. As hour after hour went by and there were no signs of any bondsmen toeing the mark, the doubt increased and the conviction became general that there was no money at all behind the huge volumes of noise, but that those who kept up such a bi>j; ferment were all without any real interest jn the district they have done so tfluch to in-

jure. As is known, thn nominal plaint'ff is not even a nominal ratepayer. Most of those behind him are only nominal ratepayers,— very few, if any, of them have over ao small a balance of assets over liabilities. Besides, it was seen that some who have been so vigorous in prompting the obstruction while keeping more or less in the background themselves, would hardly run the risk of showing the cloven hoof just before an election — they would not like it to be said by themselves in so many words that they had been the cause of putting ihe ratepayers to hundreds of pounds of expense for nothing, besides causing the place a lot of disrepute and odium. And yet they did nofc want to confess to the world that there was nothing more solid than noise about them. The activity and earnestnesß of little knots of obstrucUves about the street corners showed that they were "cornered," so to speak, and in a tight fix. The Supreme Court office closes at 3 p.m., and as that hour was neared it was curious to watch the running about of the obstructives. A few minutes to three several obstructives went in the direction of the Court, but that meant nothing, as the lot of them put together would not be surety for a hundred pence. The one or two believed to have a little substance were very touchy on being spoken to about it, and would hastily change the subject. Then three o'clock struck, and it was seen that it was a case of — No money ; nothing but noise ! Not a miserable hundred pounds could be raised to back the faith of a pack of noisy blotherers who tried so hard to persuade themselves they wero the .'people of the district. Here the whole thing stands exposed as a mere clamor of noise with nothing behind it { Could it have been A mere case of try-on to work up cosis against the Harbor Board, as being a good mark ? Could it have been just an at teirtpt to plunder? If so the biters have been bit, for nothing will be got out of their tools ! Of course the action will nob go on, and so ends what has been ajtnost disgraceful and scandalous episode in the history of the district, — 'that is, it onda except in the memory of the electors 1