PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 425, 7 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

(BY TELEGRAPH.) Wellington, Sept. C. In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, Replying to Mr. Pyke, Mr. Bowen said the Government intended to appoint a Commission to inquire into the High School dispute. The Native Land Sales Suspension Bill was introduced by Major Atkinson, and read a first time. On Mr. J. 0. Brown's motion, returns of land taken and compensation paid for railway purposes, also of information relating to Ouigo railways, were ordered. Mr. Wakefield moved, "That the manuscript of Mr. Jones' statement read at the bar of the House and furnished to the Clerk for the convenience of the House be returned to Mr. Jones." After a lengthj r discussion, the motion was ngret d to on t!v; voices. JL: Fox's motion regarding gambling and selling liquor to natives, the debate on whicli was iuterrubted yesterday, was

agreed to. Mr. Rees briefly moved that a Committee consisting of Mesers. Bowen, M'Ljan, Fox, Stevens, Bastings, Hislop, BalLuic-s Bunny, Macandrew, Curtis, De Lautoiir, Montgomery, Burns, Fitzroy, Grey, and the mover, he appointed to inquire into all the dealings with native lauds by landed proprietors in Hawkes Bay, such Committee to have power to call for papers and persons, and to report in a month. Mr. Ormond said ho would take this opportunity of replying to the statement previously made by Mr. Rees, regarding his land, dealings, but which Mr. Rees had not now repeated. These imputations were of a very gross character, and it was only in deference to the wishes of his colleagues that he had not replied to them at the time. Tie would also show that Mr. Rees and Sir George Givy, who had made tin.S3 charges, had themselves been engaged in transactijns he would be

ashamed to bo concerned in. lie had only had three Native Land transactions in the Colony. Mr. Ormond then gave a lengthy account of these transactions and declared that they were fair and legitimate. On the House resuming, Mr. Ormond continued the debate. He challenged Mr. Hues to lvsh'n liis seat and contest, Olive with him. He said the native land action in Haw lie's 13aj* had been trumped up by Europeans, and the natives had repudiated all connection with them. A Bill to suppress all land dealings for 12 months would be a great bh-ssing, as it would starve out those pakeha-Maoris and

low class of practitioners. A committee was only asked for to enable Mr. Rees to get at evid> nee to use elsewhere. He alluded to the resolutions passed at the 01.1 Settlers meetings, and said that Sir George Grey was unfit to represent the Crown, because he could not speak the truth. He accused Sir George Grey of having prostituted his position as Governor to into part!'er.-hip with Messrs. Cox, and Whitmore, to obtain 300,000 acres of land near Taupo. He quoted letters referring to the transaction "litten by Jlr. liussell to the firm's agent, a Mr. Locke, of jS'apier. The original letters would be produced if asked for. He recounted other land trans.ir ions of Sir George Grey's, and opposed the appointment of a Committee, but would agree to the House appointing a Commission, with judicial powers, to settle all land transactions once and for all, if those who demanded the investigation gave security for costs. Mr. Sheehnn defended himself from the implied misconduct. He referred to the verdict in the Waha Maori case as giving the absolute lie to Mr. Ormond. He flatly contradicteel many of Mr.

< irmond's statements, and accused him of improperly acquiring Heretaunaga block, with others. It was Mr. Ormond's fault that the Conimis.sion of 1873 had in t judicial powers. Ho warmly defended his own conduct as professional adviser of the natives, and narrated many of his transactions to show his disinterestedness. He denied the statements regarding the misappropriation of money obtained from Watts, and maintained that Mr. Ormond would not object to a Committee if not afraid of wnat it might reveal. The Government, in trying to shield the private transactions of one of its members, was making the question a Ministerial one. He had himself been offered large bribes to betray or abandon his clients.

Mr. Russell denied many of Mr. Sheehan's statements, and defended Mr. Ormond. He denied that Mr. Ormond took any part in the Heretaunga purchase, and he did not think a Committee could conduct such an inquiry. He would move as an amendment that a Bill bo introduced to appoint a Commission to settle the land qaestions once for all.

Mr. Joyce felt ashamed of the debate, and thought the Government would not object to a Committee unless they were afraid that it would reveal the fact that a full inquiry was necessary. Sir R. Douglas moved the adjournment of the debate to allow lion, members' passious to cool.

Mr. Reader Wood asked that the letters quoted by Mr. Ormond be produced. Mr. Whitaker said that he had tnjoeived them from Mr. Cox, and could not produce them without his consent. He would telegraph for it. Sir George Grey urged the immediate production of the letters. A warm and lengthy discussion then ensued. Major Atkinson sail the Government would produce them if ordered by the House. Ultimately the motion for their production, if Messrs. Locke and Rassell consented, was carried by 36 to 12. The debate was then adjourned.