The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1872.

Nelson Evening Mail, Issue 250, 19 October 1872, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1872.

The Harrison-Holt Scandal, properly so called, seems likely to terminate in the utter discomfiture of the member for the Grey Valley, and editor of the Wellington Independent. The Select Committee appointed to enquire into the matter has come to the conclusion that no such proposition as that reported to have been made by Mr. Harrison was made, and has expressed its regret that that gentleman should have brought so serious a charge against Captain Holt, based entirely on a private conversation. The circumstances; of the case appear to fully warrant the decision arrived at. It seems from Mr. Harrison's statement, that Captain Holt, acting as Mr. BrogdenV agenti suggested ;. to him that an arrangement might be entered into between the firm, of Brogden and Sons, and. the editor of thlelridepen- ] dent toisecure his "professional services as ■ a journalist^ fdr.the purpose of. furthering certßinVundertakibgsVwhich , the firm had in, contemplatibni" y^We are nottold what '? this "arrangement" was,but at aU even ts it is clear that Mr. /Harrison did not; look upqn ; it as dishonorablefib ? any way, seeing that j he feltVno BesitatipnVin agreeing to; ahs '':/;prbpbsalibY^ : an& consent to such an ; arrangemerit'.'aßViirbdld.' f> simply : inypiVel^ief '^if9JSl^^ii^yßF^

fesßional skill for bona fide -purposes.'' The interview took place, Mr. Harrisbn first of all giving bis word that;; "the subject of tbe conversation should jf>e considered confidential. In the course of it, however, Mr. Harrison states that it was intimated to him that should any agreement be madß between himself and tbe firm of Brogden & Sons it was to be' a condition tbat be should use his influence, as a member of the House, to further the interests of the firm. This, it was, that roused the ire of the sensitive Mr. Harrison, but what did he do ? Did he instantaneously resent the insu.lt and order the tempter out of his door — (for it was at his own dinner table that the offensive "offer was made)? No, he walked with the gentleman who had inflicted so grievous a wound upon all his honorable feelings, from his house to {he Government Buildings, . where, says Captain Holt, "we parted without any apparent change in the friendly character of our acquaintance." That night and the next day passed, and still Mr. Harrison made no sign, but in the evening it would, seem to have occurred to him that it might be well to consult with the Speaker on the matter. Accordingly, a meeting was arranged for the following day, when, ot 11 a.m., the insulted individual unburdened his mind to Mr. Bell and made a statement of what was said to have taken place. He was then desired to put his statement in - writing. Taking all Wednesday to frame bis letter he, -on the following day, sent it to the Speaker, who, on perusing it, at once discovered .that an important addition had been made to (he tale told him on the previous morning. On Wednesday, Mr. Harrison made no reference to any intimation having fallen from Captain Holt on the subject of the maintenance or otherwise of Mr. Stafford's Government in office, which, seeing that he has for some time been a bitter opponent of Mr. Stafford's, ho was scarcely likely to have forgotten had it really been made, but in his Thursday's letter there occurred the following remarkable passage: "It was specially intimated that I should do what I could to influence the Hon. Mr. Yogel not to bring down this session a motion which might involve the defeat of the Government; the reason alleged being that it was to Mr. Brogden's interest that Mr. Stafford's Government should remain in power for at least the current year." We have not yet had an opportunity of perusing the evidence taken before the Committee, but it will be interesting to observe whether,: and if so to what extent, Mr. Harrison's revelations when on oath differed from the two previously made by him to the Speaker. We repeat that it is utterly incredible, considering the relative positions of, Mr. Stafford and Mr. Harrison, that the latter would have failed, in his first communication to the Speaker, to mention the fact of the object of Captain Holt's overtures being to maintain the Stafford Government in power, bad such a proposition been actually made to him, seeing what a handle might have been made of it by the then Opposition, of which Mr. Harrison was a prominent member. It appears :to have been simply an after-thought ; in this case not altogether a wise one, as it strongly tended to cast doubt upon the whole story. Captain Holt, as will have been seen in his letter to the Speaker, which we published a fortnight ago, indignantly denies the whole accusation, and; the Select Committee, which was comprised \ of experienced members from both sides of the House, appears, by the vote of censure it has.passed on Mr Harrison, to have attached more evidence feo.the version of the story given by the former than to that.of his accuser., After the decision of tbe Committee, the matter will, doubtless, be taken up by the House, and Mr Harrison is likely to receive: a lesson that he will riot readily forget. ;