THE HON. MR. LAHMAN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1583, 1 September 1873, Page 2

THE HON. MR. LAHMAN.

: The ."Wellington correspondent of anOtago contemporary' gives the following ; as his view of the Legislative Council v. Mr" Henry Lahman :— The dull tedium of an exceedingly dull session of Parliamentary debate has been relieved by a morsel of soft scandal. That very excellent but very infirm body of legislators— the Legislative Councilhas been cutting some queer capers. Twelve months ago, a y Mr Lahman, the Chairman of the County Council of West.land, was called by Sir George Bowen to a seat in the Upper House. Mr Lahman was not by any mean 3 received with cordiality by his colleagues. His presence in the Chamber appeared to be regarded as a blow struck at the social status of that august body. Accordingly, they lost' nb time in making it as hot for hipi as they possibly could. After a good deal of "fossicking" they got up some sortof a trumpery charge in connection with the dismissal of a West Coast Warden. A Select Committee was appointed^ and the whole facts of the case were' fully investigated. The personnel of the Committee of Inquiry was the reverse of friendly to Mr Lahman, still they, failed in making out anything like a case against him. A report on the subject was forwarded to Governor Bowen, who took not the slightest notice of it., ,<3,n. Mr Lahman taking his seat this' session ;the : pld.Bbre was revived, and a fresh representation based on the old inquiry was forwarded to the present Governor, Sir James Fergusson. Sir : James has shown rachermpre pluck than .his predecessor. ! He replied to their communication, and his reply is< characteristic of a man with a mind of his own, and who has no intention whatever of being dictated to by a set of gossiping old women. He told them frankly that their scruples were a farce, and refused point blank to take cognisance of them.