ALLEGED CORRUPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 241, 11 April 1912, Page 3

ALLEGED CORRUPTION.

MR. PEARCE, M.P., AND THE ELTHAM ARGUS. Replying to 'Mr. Pearce, M.P., whose letter also appeared in yesterday's Taranaki Daily News, the Eltham Argus says:—Mr. Pearce completely spikes our gun by saying our article imputes to him statements that he did not make. If he did not make the statements we have credited him with, then our case falls to the ground. The words we credited him with using were'the following: "Other actions, however, are taking place. Since those charges were made members have sold property to the Land for Settlement Board." Now, let us gently point out to our correspondent that the Eltham Argus is not the newspaper .that is responsible for the report. The words we quoted were taken from the Stratford Post's report of Mr. Pearee's speech. If Mr. Pearce did not use t'he words, then our Stratford contemporary possesses a reporter with strong imagination, and Mr. Pearce has a legitimate cause for complaint, and we advise him to squ'are things up with the Stratford newspaper. We fancy, however, that the shorthand notes of the reporter will prove more accurate than Mr. Pearee's memory. The Taranaki Herald also credits Mr. Pearce with the statement. And now as to what Mr. Pearce is apparently inclined to admit that lie di.d say. It was that Government members had sold land "to the Government." Well, let us know the conditions and surroundings of the transactions. He denies (though the report is against him) that he said the land was sold to the Land for Settlement Board, so Mr. Pearce should let us know what the land was sold for. It may have been for some absolutely necessary public work, and there may be nothing at all sinister in the transaction. Probably this newspaper discussion may result in a full explanation being forthcoming. Let us do Mr. Pearce the justice of admitting that in the tail end of his letter he comes very near to details, but by an ingenious little wriggle he tries to thrown a certain onus on the Argus. 'He says, "I will aslc the editor of 'the Argus to 'enquire into 'the sale of a portion of a block of land on the TaupoNapier road owned by the Hon. G. W. Russell, to the Government; also the sale of the ex-member for Waikato, Mr. Greenslade's, farm, at Ohapu, under the Land Settlement Finance Act." This is certainly very ingenious on the part of Mr. Pearce, but it is not our business to make the enquiries he suggests. It is his business, as the challenged one, to prove the existence of practices of which he does not approve, and which he says "are still going on." We admit we know nothing of the dealings of the exmeiriber for Waikato, Our columns are open to Mr. Pearce to make any exposure he chooses. Ilis letter contains a reference to the sale to the Government of a portion of a blgek of land owned by the Hon. ,G. W. Russell. He does not directly say thfit tfie land was sold to the Government by Mr. Russell, but he infers it. We have not the slightest doubt that Mr. Russell himself will enlighten the public on this matter. Tn the meantime, we have to thank Mr. Pearce for a pleasant little diversion, wjiicli, we hope, has not yet ended.