MYSTERIOUS LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1576, 21 October 1912, Page 7

MYSTERIOUS LETTER.

WHERE JS THE ORIGINAL? "UNDER A CLOUD.". In thn dobnto on tho fiecond reeling of tho Land. Bill during last week, Hi* Hon. A, T> Ngala, member for Eastern ■Maori, attacked tlioso provisions of tiio Hill whioh deal with Native, lnnds. mid hu rend a copy of a leller signed by twu Native chiefs withdrawing nil oifer llieY had provlounly niuila to Iho lovcrnnjcii'c to hand over (heir lands to be dealt -lilli iindnr this tichomo. Tho Prime Minister . upoko of Iliafc leller in his epwi, in reply, on Saturday mornings— "Let mo givo tho history of what hap. pe.nod," paid Mr. Mussoy. "Abniit « mnnlU oro Iwo gentlwuun of '.ho Nalivtj rncci cninii to mo, accompunied by my frieml ])v. Pomnrc, und snid, 'WV ni« an.\ious to (lisjiowj of ii block of OS.OnO nci'i'9 of land which belongs to oiir families, and we nsk you lo take cur Innd mid of it so that the ]irui"e(lsi may go to tnoso to whom it belongs.' I explained Unit Ihoro was no provision enabling mo lo take over Native la'ids. A few weeks afterwards lliny cume nlfinjf again, bringing other Natives with them, and repeated their request. They fiaid, 'Now hero are other Natives. We o«,i 250,003 acres of land amongst us, und if you put that provision in (ho Lnnil Bill we Flmll hand over our land lo you, , Tliis clauw' was then drafted. Now for the sequel: Tho Hill was circulated, nnd. It went to the Lnncfc Coinmillcn, and thru according to Iho sUilcmcnt by the honourable member for Eastern Maori ho interviewed them. Mr. Tsilt:: Ho said they interviewed him, Mr. Mnwpy: Very well, they interviewed him. 110 interpreted the Bill to them, nnd they look his ndvice, and tho result was (hat a leller was supposed lo be written to me withdrawing their offer. A copy of Hint letter was supposed to bo read. It was supposed lo \m a copy. Where is tho original? That letter hns never reached mo—(Cries of "Oh, oh!")— and it never will. A copv of it is in th< possession of my friend, Dr. TomnvE-— Mr. Willyi And others, too. Air. Mjissey: T believe tho Minister for Native Affairs has a copy. Whero is thu original P If there is such a letter I want it laid on Iho tablo of the House. When that letter was read I asked who signed it. I undorstood him lo read two names —that of .To Hcu Hen and another. There'is only one. attached to the letter wo have. It, is in the name of a wellknown Native chief—a man probably as well educated as any member of this House, nnd he didn't sign tho letter. (Cries of "Oh, oh!") It was signed To lieu Hen, per H.11.J1.' How is it this educated gentleman in unitblo to sign his own letter? Thero is something to be explained, and until it is explained the honourable, member for Eastern Maori it under a cloud."