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Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 71, 21 September 1877, Page 2

We have already referred pretty definitely to the attacks recently made against Ministers with referem?© to Bawfee's Bay and other land transacl ions in the North Island, and vre now append som.R extrnets from speeches delivered in the House in respect to those attacks :— Mr. Osmondsaid, " there was an organization for promoting litigation in Hawltes Bay, which was kept alive by mortgages on native lands.. The natives were nearly sucked dry a vear ago, wheim the 1 Mpssrs Walt paid' £17.000 to buy out certain clairannts not as had been represented' to compromise' anything A member of the Legvslatir& Council, who directed these law proceeding*, had got £7000' of thi», and' the 1 Natives said that they did not know what had become of ,the res-t.'* Mr. Sheehaw rose and' s<nd, " that Mr. Onmoni>, without mentioning his name, had accused him- of professional misconduct. He could not use- the words of Übriolanu«:, and say, ' Measureless lfar, thou has oa-ad'e my heart to great for what contains ft." Even while Mr. Obmond had 1 been* speaking, the verdict of a noa-politvcal jury ' had absolutely given the- tie to- his own statements. He defended himself wa^mTy from- the charges, which; mean, that h& Bliould* be struck of the rolls of his pro« fession. * * *' Low-class praefcioner though he wa.s, he had' not taken the£looo offered to him to discontinue an action. The Watt's case was settle^,, simply to- Rive them, a good' title, and not to buy outstanding interests, as stated., Not a poany of the money so paid,, amounting to £17,500 had been expended without th« full consent and knowledge of all the parties eencerned. * * * : Many deeds were signed, and witnesses were in blank. These were the sort of ' transactions indulged fin by these very moral »nd virtuous Hawkes Bav gentlemen. Quite 1 recently Mr. Osmond's clerk reproached him with the error of his ways, and hinted' if he would repent, a seofc on. a district bench would be found for him. With regard to. the case in which £17,500' had neen recovered, he had been offered £2000^ for Kmsel'f, if he irould settle the action by taking £10,000' for the Natives 1 . Then £1 5,000' was offered 1 , but he refused 1 this, and made them pay £17,600, and then low-class- 1 practitioner as he was. all he had charged the Natives was £250." It would seem that public feeling has at length- been fairly aroused upon this subject, for from . overy corner of the colony demands are bing nwide for a most thorough investigation into tbe wholo proceedings.

We lenrn tbafc an intimation has been received from head quarters forbidding members of the police force iVo>n accepting from corporations or _ other publ'c bodies any emolument in the way of subsidy to their, ordinary remuneration under the Constabulary Grdiutiaee.

It will be seen by an advertisement which we publish elsewhere, that the County Council bas at length tired of its resolution to maintain the ro&cls of the County by means of day labor, tenders being invited for maintenance. This is no more than we predicted some time ago. It would be interesting to know the exact sum which the Council hau had to pay for its experience in this matter, for the amount must have been very large. Whether the character of the work performed ia a lair set off lor tbe expenditure ia sit tbe least doubtful, and it is not unlikely that the Council will uovv have to pay as , much for keeping the roads in repair for the remainder of the year as it; would ha\e done at the time this iIU advised resolution was carried.