HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 213, 8 September 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Friday. The House met at 2 30 this afternoon. The following new Bills were introduced:— Provincial Laws Evidence (Mr Whitaker), Nelson Rifle Prize Amendment (Mr Curtis), Sale of Food aud Drugs (Mr VVatsou). The debate on the Hawke's Bay land transactions was resumed. Mr Whitaker said that Mr Cox had telegraphed allowing the letters to be used if conseuted to. Mr Locke did so i£ his principal would, but Mr Russell refused. ■ The telegrams from Mr Cox were read. The Speaker thought that the House would not be satisfied till the letters were read. Mr Whitaker laid the letters on the table. A long debate ensued as to whether the letters could be read without Mr RusseH'3 consent. The Speaker thought the letters were properly in the possession of the House, having been laid on the table by the Government. Major Atkinson denied this. Mr Whitaker said he laid them on the table, not as a member of the Government but as a private member in whose custody the letters had been placed which the House wished to be obtained. The Speaker held that if not laid on tha table by the Government the letters were uot in the possession of the House, aud ordered them to be returned to Mr Whitaker. He read a letter from the lion R. Russell, objecting to the letters being read. Mr Takamoana briefly addressed the House, stating that none of Mr Ormond's transactions with the natives and their lauds in Uawke's Bay were right. The House adjourned before the usual hour ia consequence of the bad smell of gas, and will probably adjourn again at 7.30 if it is not better then. Saturday. Mr Seymour resumed the debate opposing the appointment of a Committee which could not perform the duties of such au extensive enquiry. He suggested that they should be confined to an enquiry into the charges made in the House against Mr Ormond aud Sir G. Grey, and the way in which Hawke's Bay law suits were carried on. Sir G. Grey denied ever having heard of resolutions passed by old settlers impunging his truthfulness. The men whose names were quoted as parties thereto were old and valued friends of his. He denied that the House had anything to do with the Oranui case which was with an European, who, if wronged, had the courts of law open. He simply refused to pay money for a bargain he had never made. He denied positively ever having been a member of a Laud Purchasing Company. He had been desirous of establishing a settlement near Taupo, and when a company was formed to establish one there, he had promised to promote what he considered a good object, but he had no f urtner interest in the Company consisting of Messrs Henry Russell, Cox, Whitaker, Thos. Russell, Whitmore, and others. He read letters from Col. Whitmore, staling positively that Sir G. Grey was not a member of the company. He warmly defended Mr Rees, whose constituents Mr Ormond had insulted. He was himself quite satisfied with Mr Roes' integrity and disinterestedness. II 2 strongly condemed the means by which the Hawke's Bay lands had been acquired, as shown by the report of the Commission. He did not believe the House could pass a law to shut the ordinary courts to the natives and force them before a special tribunal for redress. He was quite willing to have his transactions investigated by a Committee. He had never bought an acre of native land. MrSutton thought a Committee would be useless, and spoke at length in defence of the Hawke's Bay laud purchasers. Mr Stout condemned the manner in which Sir George Grey had been treated by the House and the Press, aud felt sure that a reaction would come. If Sir G. Grey had acted wrongfully iti being bribed regarding the Taupo land, as stated by Mr Ormond, had not .Messrs Cox and Whitaker also been wrong in bribing a Governor. He referred at length to the Hawke's Buy transactions, especially Mr Suttou's, as detailed by the Commission. He supported the appointment of a Committee. Mr Russell's amendment was negatived on the voices. Mr Whitaker then moved to add to Mr Rees' motion words to the effect that the Committee should enquire into the charges made against Mr Ormond, and against Sir G. Grey in reference to the Taupo atfair, and into the alleged improper conduct of certain law suits in liawkes Bay. He replied generally to Sir G. Grey's charges against him regardiug the Taupo land affair. He believed Mr Cox's statement that Sir G. Grey was concerned as he knew that Mr Cox was truthful and that Sir G. Grey was not. His own connection with the affair was that when the company was formed in Wellington Mr Tom Russell put his name down as one. When he

heard of it he declined because the schema was too large. He knew no more till Mr Russell drew on him for £40 to pay expenses atter the company broke up. He was proceeding to repeat Mr Ormond's accusations against Mr Rees in relation to his leaving the West Coast, when Mr Reea denied that the accusation was true, and the Speaker called Mr Whitaker to order, and said that such personalities were highly irregular. Mr Whitaker said that he had been attacked aud simply wished to retaliate. He supported making the natives give security for costs before suing. . Mr Wakefield warmly condemned the conduct of the Government, and supported the appointment of a Committee. Mr Tairoa supported the enquiry aud attributed all the evils to their puttiug only ten names in the Crown grants. He said he was ashamed of the tone of the debate, and was inclined to say with King David, « All men are liars." On a division on Mr WhitaVer's amendment, it was rejected by 26 to 25. The debate on the original motion was continued for a short time and then adjourned, and the House rose at 1-20 a.m.