LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 138, 11 June 1872, Page 2

LAST NIGHT'S COUNCIL.

On the Council meeting, Mr. Donne said that he hoped tbat the Speaker would see that the evidence taken before the Westport Land Purchase Committee would be printed without delay. Mr. O'Conob said that he bad come to the Chamber to see the evidence that morning and found it mutilated and falsified, and that a portion of it was not there. Mr! Guinness moved that Mr. O'Conor' s words betaken down. A very irregular discussion then ensued, in the course of which Mr. O'Conor said that he had not meant to say that the evidence had been altered after being read to Council, and that if he had used such words he would withdraw them. What he did say, and he was prepared if necessary to take his oath to it before a Court of Law, was that the report of the evidence was a false report, and that it did not contain all that had been said and he referred particularly to a portion of Mr. Shephard's evidence. On the motion of Mr.' Reid, Mr. ©'Conor's words -were taken down, and he was then, in compliance with the Standing Orders, requested to withdraw,

and he accordingly left the Council, but seated himself in the" body of the Hall, outside the bar. Mr. Donne then directed the attention of the Speaker to the fact that straDgers were present, when all strangers, including the reporters, were ordered to withdraw. The Council then went into Committee, and alengtby discussion ensued, when all the mem bersboth of the Westport Sea Encroachment Committee, and of the Enquiry Committee stated that the evidence as taken down, truly aud faithfully represented what took place. On the motion of Mr. Reid it was resolved : — "That this Committee, haviDg heard tho statements of the several members of the Select Committee of Enquiry into the conduct of the member for he Buller, and the statements of the members of the Council heard before that Committee, is of opiuion that the member for the Buller, Mr. O'Conor, has made an altogether unjustifiable reflection upon the honor of the Chairman and members of tbe said Select Committee, in stating that their report was a false report. — The following motion was then put to the Committee, and adopted by a majority of 10 to s:— "That with a view to the maintenance of good order in the cooduct of the business of the Council, this Committee recommends that the Speaker should be authorised to appoint an officer by whose appointment he may be enabled to enforce the provisions of the Privileges Act, 1856." — The Council having resumed, the public were again admitted. The ordinary business of the day v/as then proceeded witb, but nothing of interest took place. The Council adjourned a little after 10 o'clock until this evening.