HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 157, 24 June 1876, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

.... Wellington, Saturday. The House met yesterday at 2*30 p.m. In replying to Mr liees, Sir J. Yogel said that Dr Pollen was on the Civil Service, but fc»ir D. M'Lean was not. . Sir Donald M'Lean explained that since 1865 he never drew a penny of public money, save his salary &b .Superintendent, and Ministerial allowance when he was made a Minister. The office of Native Land Purchase Commissioner was abolished by Sir G. Grey in 1 855, and' he wondered bow that hon. gentleman •. had forgotten the circumstance. The Disqualification Act Amendment Bill passed through, all Its stages without opposition, except a protest from Mr ' Murray. Mr. Header Wood re-openod the Piako Swamp i debate/ and apoke at considerable length ,' chiefly criticising the speech made by Mr Stafford on the previous night, and commeutiDg with severity on Sir Julius Vogel's actions as Premier and his habitual arrogance of tone,as Bhown in the Bank correspondence. He wouid not for a moment insinuate that Ministers were corrupt in the sense that they received a cheque or any beneficial interest from thtir laud transactions, but it was nevertheless corruption to make over large blocks of land by secret sale to their personal iriends. L&e referred to one of Sir J. Vogel's arguments tts that of an iuiot, apparently in retaliation lor Sir J. Yogel saying that Sir G. Grey . labored under morbid hatiuciuatiohs. 1 He was checked by the Speaker. The speech was Strongly personal all through j Mr Orinond expressed greao regret at the vtterlack of any evidence adduced to substantiate the sweeping and reckless charges oi. corruption made against the Ministry, &ud attached great, blame to Sir G. Grey lor "wasting tlio time of ihe House in this way, when more important buaiuess awaited them. He was in ore surprised at this after the labors of the Piako Select Committee last ses ion, which conclusively disproved all the cha gea made. . Mr Jtieea moved the adjournment, and the House adjourned till 7 30 p m. Mr De Lu.ntor coatinued the debate on the Piiko Swamp purchase at 7 30 p.m., strong y opposing it on various grouads. Mr Bryce aefen led the Bale as a singularly expedient one which wo aid probably not have been nude yet, if not made in the manner it "was, He quoted Mr Murray's evidence before the Select Commiccee to prove that a lair price was received for the land by the uovernment. tie c intended that the large expenditure on reclamation aid great good to the district when looked on in connection with native affairs,, and ridiculed the Governmeut going into such a speculation Mr Murniy considsrea the sale was not necessary aud not advantageous, and said ' that tue roads made through the swamp were next to useless for traffic. The Government ougho to hare raadtt a railway through

Mr Stevens would vote for the motion, the sale might have been an administrative ci.or, but the Home was bound to ratify it."} Mr tfe.B strongly opposed the motion, which, if carried, would.be a condonation of a fl igrnnt piece, of . wrong doing. Not a Prenver in the many posse'siona of the British Empire would dare brint? down such a r?Bnliitioa. He advised the .Home not to ratify the contract, and it the Government preyed it, to walk out without voting. Mr Rowe, though opposed very strongly to alienating large blocks of the public estate, woul 1 vote for completing this s*le He knew all about the cisc, and had sailed over the swamp years before a majority of the members in that House ever heard of it. Me Nahe objected to the sale because the Maori King was not consulted. Mr Macfarlane explained that the sile of the coal field which Sir George Grey said was made to Mr Russell had been entirely effected by himself on behalf of the Waikato Coal Company while Mr Rusßell was absent at home. . . .. Mr Wakefleld said that though somswlnt uneasy at the commencement of the debate that the transaction was " dark," he was now satisfied 1 thers was nothing improper, at the worsij it cou'd only be called an administrative error. He would support the resolution because it was the 'oiily way out of a difficulty: j n w ),j C i, t QB House had placed itself.. Its very boldness vas a. merit i a inviting members _to , vote for it who would not do so otherwise. He strongly opposed the alienation of l»rge blocks of land. • ( Me Montgomery said the Premier ha 1 not made it clear to them that there bad Ik en no additional hnd given to the purchasers of the swamp. The Government should not have sold the land without surveying it. He did ' not believe there was any corruption in the matter. ■ ; ' Mr Whitaker gave all, the details of the transaction from its inception to its completion,; show ing that the sale was not only leg*! and regular in every war, but was absolutely a good bargain for the Government, arid productive of very great benefit; to the Province by finding employment for hundreds of immigrants. Instead of selling more landi the .Native Minister actually kept back BrsOo8 r 5O0 acres of the very best for the natives. In 1871 land could have been bought for Is 6d,or 2s per acre. Over £35,000 had already been expended on it, but an immense amount would yet be required. He denied Sir G. Grey'd allegation that he was concerned in any other land transactions or had ever taken any favor from the. Government. Several others having spoken for and against the motion, a discu? sipn ensued as to whether the House should' adjourn or go on. The House ultimately adjourDed at 26 a.m. ;iill 2-30 p.m. on Tuesday. . '