Sir George Grey and Mr Whitaker, junr.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3388, 31 October 1879, Page 2

Sir George Grey and Mr Whitaker, junr.

The Herald correspondent gives the following as the gist of the remarks of the cause of Mr Whitaker.'i animosity towards himself. Sir George Grey said that Mr Whiiaker had made a demand-for an enormous area of land, and siuce that had been refused he pursued him (Grey) with unrelenting hostility. He (Grey) asked that the papers connected with the subject should be brought down. Mr Whitaker waited on Mr Sheehan with another lion, gentleman, a clieut of bit. The Government had obtained the native rights over a block of land containing over 250,000 acres. The father of the member for Waipa, Mr Briisenden, and others, had some years ago been paid £5000 which was the sum believed to have been expended by them Mr Whitaker had made a claim to a block of 320,000 acres. He asked the . Government to produce the telegrams, which were in the offices, the Govern* ment having purchased the land and bought out the claims of the father of the hon. the member for the Waipa, Brissenden, and others. New claims had sprang ap over the same piece of land, which belong* to the Government. The hon. member for Waipa, and those who were with him,, offered to relinquish their new claims if they were allowed to complete their operations, over 40.000 acres, that was their proposal. He (.Sir George Grey) was compelled by a sense of duty to refuse to allow that proposal to be sanctioned. He felt himself compelled to do that in the interests of the public. He was informed that the surveys .'■ had been made by stealth. . . , . Sir George Grey, said, he was stating . nothing but what was • matter of re-

cord. . . ... He had left in tb* office every telegram and eopiea of ever j letter he had, sent, except to hit sitters and immediate relatives, and he now asked that copies of these be laid on tho table, then would be found telegram shewing that the statements be had aaad* about the member for Waipt wen .-. . absolutely facts. A claim had beenttt up by him over 320,000 acres.