Serious Charge against an Aucland Commission Agust.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4512, 21 June 1883, Page 2

Serious Charge against an Aucland Commission Agust.

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The charges against Mr Stevens, mission agent, formerly of the Cotonial Treasury Department, of an alleged attempt to bribe Mr T. W. Lewis, Under. Secretary of the Native .Department! with the offer of 203 guineas to influence the disposal of certain native lands at Coromandel, was heard by Mr Seth Smith, B. IM., yesterday. Messrs Theo. Cooper and E. T. Dufaur appeared for the defendant, and Mr Hudson Wiliamson, Crown solicitor, for the prosecution. - Tbqs. W. Lewis deposed to the stances under which he met Mr Stevens in Auckland, and to the' offer fee moAe him by the letter produced (dated 6th December, 1882). Mr Lewis replied to hi* letter in indignant terms, and refastfd to treat the letter as confidential, fatr"mbmitted it to the Native Minister.' Ste'vtßft sought an interview with Lewis* whi*hrW4M denied, and then wrote a reply stating that he was grieved beyond measnrA...ilialettejr had been misunderstood. He concluded it by saying, "I trust I know mj^alf and you too weil to dream of offering •brib^Ml*trnst to your honor not, to take advantage of a lapsus lingua, or a badly worded expression. I withdraw the letter; pleasetnitfcnamore. of it."—ln evidence Mr Lewis ■tattd %o had nothing to do with the Land Purchase Department, although ' H\ wiw,,! 1, branch of his department. A recommendation from him to purchase land be believed, bare considerable weight with the Native Minister. .He would do.it in the ordinary office way; although the administration of the department was not within his functions:—Mr Cooper f'tAdressod the Court, and said the evidence disclosed no offence. Mr Cooperf quoted from various authorities and said that even if the offer of 200 KUioeas had ham made and accepted by Lewis", ht might hare rendered himself liable to dismissal, but not to prospctiiiou. As tfrore was no crime, he submitted '. tbwO country should not be put to the expense of tend - ingytbe case to the Supreme Court. Mr Williamson argued to the contrary, «od held that thi« was not the Court to decide tho«e points.—His Worship- reserved his decision on the points raised till Satur-' day. Defendant was allowed to go on his own recognizances of £50.