VILLAGE SETTLEMENT. Auckland, May 22.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 371, 25 May 1889, Page 3

VILLAGE SETTLEMENT. Auckland, May 22.

[ The following questions were asked by Mr John Lundon and answered by Mr Thomas ' * Thompson at the conclusion of the' address '< delivered in the Temperance Hall last evening:— (1) Do you remember a caucus of the . Auckland members, held in the general committee-room of the House of Parliament last session to receive a petition brought by me from the Mayor of Auckland, Mr A. E. Devbre, and one hundred and five heads of families to Parliament, praying that the village settlement scheme be resuscitated ? — Yes. (2) Was either the member for the Bay of > Islands, Richard Kobbs, or the member for MarSden, Kobert Thompson, present at that caucus ? — Neither were present, so far as Mr Thompson knew. (3) Do you remember that petition coming before the Public Petitions Committee, of which you are Chairman ?— Yes. (4) Was either Richard Hobbs or Robert Thompson a member of that Committee ?—? — No. (5) Was the evidence I gave before that Committee in favour of or opposed to the prayer of the petitioners ?—ln? — In favour of the petitioners. (6) Is it true, as stated by the Minister of Lands and 11. Thompson on the occasion of the former's visit to the Northern districts in January last, that I, in my evidence, said that the village setders weie paupers ? —You used the words "scum of Auckland," but not in the sense implied in the question. (7) Is it true, as stated by Robert Thomp.son at his meeting at Dargaville on May •11th, as reported by himself in the "Northern Advocate," that it was through his influence that the Minister of Lands was induced to visit the Northern village settlements ? Or (8) Was the visit not promised by the Premier to a deputation from the caucus consisting of Mr Moss, Col. Praser and yourself, irrreply to the petition, and was not the promise reiterated by the Premier on the floor of .the House ?— The Premier was induced to visit the North because of a promise made by the Premier to a deputation consisting of himself (Mr Thompson), Mr Moss, and Col. Frasor.