A GRAVE SCANDAL

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 825, 13 February 1903, Page 3

A GRAVE SCANDAL

A MINISTER’S POSITION. By Telegraph— Proas Association—Copyright Melbourne, Feb. 12. Tho Select Committee appointed to enquire into the charges against Mr McKonzie, ex-Ministor of Lancia, acquits him of obtaining grazing land for himself or relatives at an inadequate price, but linds . that ho failed to realise his true position as a trustoo of public lands, that he should not have sub-lot his grazing licenses contrary to tho practice of his department, that he should have refrained from acting as judge in his own cause and tho cause of bis son when other persons were interested, and that he took a very objectionable course in using tho names of agents to secure licenses, Tho Age, which supported tho Irvine Government, in commenting on tho report of tho McKenzie enquiry, says the offect of this really awful document is crushing ugainst the Minister, and convicts him positively of the whole of the charges. Ho conduct is only explainable on tho theory that the naturally shrewd mind of tho Minister bad become obscured under tho influence of intense greed when he saw in the prevalence of starving stock tho opportunity of using his position for a momotary profit. No such obloquy has over bofore besmirched tho fair fame of a Victorian Minister. Tho only reparation ho can make is to give tho electors au immediate opportunity of electing his successor.