The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1181, 29 January 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1880.

We have received the following information, by telegram, as the result of inquiries regarding the appointment of Mr. Hesketh a3 a commissioner to enquire into the dispute concerning a portion of the Tc Aroha Block " Auckland. January 17.--It i 3 not Mr. Thomas Russell's case, but it is believed to be an analogous one. and in tiie same block, and it may probably be used as a precedent in the settlement of other claims. Mr. Alfred Whiraker i : rolitifor in tit" case on behalf of ihe fTovernmosu. 1 e have, since the receipt of this telegram., learned through the Press Association that Mr. iI -ikoth and Mr. Whicaker(aj •toil <)f the Hon. F. Whitaker, and who is not vet a member of Parliament). have f,, f.. Atoli.'i, tlio I.ill; »■■■• :: coinin:.;--io:i.-r, and the «i;h;-r as r. solicitor acting for si::* Government. Wo have already atati-d that Mr. Ifesketh applied to the Government on behalf of his client, Mr. 1 Thomas liu-scII, during the lafosession of Parliament. f->r between .'10,000;\nd 40,000 acres of the same block, and that he based his claim to the same on an arrangement entered into with Mr. Thomas Mackay, Government Land Purchaser, whereby lie (Mr. Russell) abandoned his negotiations for the purchase of certain native lands in favor of the Government —a Government, it should be borne in mind, that included .1 number of Mr. Russell's friends. Mr. Hesketh appealed to the Grey Government, but received no satisfaction. When the Hall Government took the reins there seemed a bctterchance of meeting with success ; but when Mi*. Wit teak or—the tried friend of Mr. Russell —his staunch adherent and advocate through many a delicate laird transaction —joined that Government, could there be any room for a shadow of a doubt that Mr. Hesketh was on the threshold of success. lie applied again. He doubtless represented how the late Government were not amenable to reason—liow they had treated his communication seeking for a righteous adjustment of an honorable claim with contempt, and how he hoped under tlin renewed old dispensation, to! obtain justice for his client. We can readily imagine how 31 r. Y\ iiitaker yearned to ramove ihe stigma which the Grey Government had placed upon the Colony by their non-compliance with his old partner's mild request for the settlement of a little matter which involved such a paltry sacridce of our patrimony. If the sacrifice necessary had been of the same magnitude as that which the Colony suffered through the alienation of the Piako "swamp," he would not have thought twice. He is particularly keen in such matters. There should be no fuss either in arranging them, or in giving explanations in Parliament or out of it. "If you wish to hear no lies, ask no questions." If people will persist in prying into affairs simply because they have a suspicious appearance, they must not coinplain if they should reap evasion or anything e!.:e that may be deemed necessary. How satisfactory it is, under the circumstance*. tint Mr. Hesketh. t:xe Hon. Mr. [ I". Wiiital:er*3 private solicitor 011 the ona Ii ITand a son of Mr. V< hitaker 011 tnc (otliT. shotted have been entrusted with ! -he settlement of a dispute in connection v. ir.li the To Aroha block—the block of whit!'. Mr. Tii .5. R-:s.;eIl wants a slice, and in connec:i"n with which l-.e has in„iri:cted thus same Mr. Hesketh to negotiate in hta behalf with the Government. From his judicial position, Mr, Dcsked; will, with the Judge in Trial by Jury, feel that "from bias free of every kind this trial must be tried." But the imaginary Judge sympathises with the lair plaintiff seeking for reparation for a breach of promise. May it not be necessary for Mr. II- si;e:h to guard against sympathy for the influential Mr. Russell, deference for the AttorneyOtMieral (.Mr. Russell's particular friend), and consideration for the AttorneyGeneral's son, whose name f.»r the first time—thanks to a loving father and .1 longsuffering people —has appeared in the nev.spapers of the Colony as Laving an important case in hand. Notwithstanding t[-.e emolument, or douceur, or whatever the payment that these two legal -ei'.fl'-nien v. ill receive may be called, we w.jttM not care to occupy their delicate p-.iitionr, if rur situation happened to be similar to theirs. Tne ctanger would be that some not heavou-bcrn trait in our nature might gain ascendency over our setue of honor. If we had been fighting ce gain a pqiat and had not succeeded for ! want of a precedent, we might feel inclined to make one, and snap our fingers at public ' condemnation so long as we were well paid jto suffer it. There is, of course, a possi- : bilrcy that the matter with the settlement :~t which Mr. Hesketh f t nd Mr. Whitaker ; -re so intimately concerned m:iy tjcav no rel.it.ion whatever to that which Mr. Iles- ' krth attempted to settle for Mr. Ilussell. J But there is a possibility that, if these cases ! are not of asimilar nature, they may by some ! lesal contortions be assimilated. Ic is un- ! fortunate for the Attorney-General that the suspicions of the people of the Colony have been aroused by his reputed intimate connection with Urge land transactions of Ihe baser sort. Hy employing Mr. Hesketh and his son in connection with this dispute, he has demonstrated that he either considers] himself above suspicion, or that he has grown beyemi the stage of ordinary sensitiveness.