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Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 980, 18 June 1872, Page 1 (Supplement)

Mr. Kynnersley seoonded the resolution. Mr. Tarrant wished to say that, as a member of the Westport Committee who had not been examined before the Committee of Inquiry, he most fully concurred in tha evidence that had been read. He could state most positively that Mr. O'Conor was present when it was decided to recommend that the laud should be withheld from sale, and that, sitting where he was, he must have heard every word that was said. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. The Provincial Treasurer "wished to refrain from making any remarks on the conduct of a member wlio had caused so much pain and auxiety to every member of tho Council. The resolution to which they had just agreed contained a rebuke that could not ba otherwise than most cutting to any man having the smallest particle of honor in his composition, but there was yet another step which ho felt that tho Council was called upon to take, namely, to exact material reparation from him who had so wronged tha people of Westport, by securing for himself land that ic was proposed to distribute amongst those who had been losers by tha doods. ft was quite possiole, and indeed very likely, that Mr. O'Couor had for some time contemplated the purchase of these sections, but the whole weight of the charge against him rested upon tho solitary oircumstance tlmt he was prasent when it was agreed to withdraw the land from sale. This had been proved by all the members of the Committeu, and therefore it was clear that he left the room and purchased the sections, k .owing full woll that iu a few minutes they would be reserved for equitable distribution among those who had suffered from the floods. He would therefore move, " That a humble address be presented to his Excellency the Governor by the Speaker of this Council, praying his Exeelloucy to refuse the issue of Crown Grants iu -espect to certain sectioas of laud iu the town of Westiort numbered respectively k>7, -138, Mi), 170, 171, and 17.', a'le-ed to hive been purchased by Eugene Joseph O'Couor one of the members of this Council, ou the 4th of June, 167:! uuder' circumstances referred to in the foregoing resolution and in the report of the Committee upon which tuafc resolution is based." Mr. LtiCEiE seconded the motion. Ho said that it was with very considerable pain that he had sat for the greater part of three days listening to evidence so distinct as that containod in tho full notes thereof that had baen read to the Council. There was throughout the evidence given by thesa witnesses a concurrence whioh, though for "years accustomed to hearing evidenoe ofiered, he rarelv heard more completo as regarded tha pointing 'to one inevitable conclusion. Ha did not wish to refer to the matter further than to point to the powerful warrant contained in that evidence for the accuracy of the statement of facts set forth iu that report, a statement which regard for strict truth and justice unquestionably demanded. The present resolution required little to be said. The be.t sections proposed to ba reserved for the benefit of sufferers from river and sea encroachments, had, by the a;t of a member for Westport (Mr. o'Conor),"if he wero permitted to possess tiiom, been, in an unworthy manner, altogether taken away from the Council's control. Whatever cou'td be done should be done to preserve the lands of tho Colony from grasping speculators, especially those who took au unwarrantable advantage of what was confidential information, to obtain for their own purposes lauds which wore intended to be reserved as a sacred trust. The person who did such an act, not only inflicted injustice on tho countrv at large, but also on the very people who had reposed trust in him as their raprese-tative and the preserver of their rights. (Hear, hear.) The clear duty of the Council, he conceived, was to prevent a man from banefituig by his own wrongful act, and he therefore seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously adopted. The Ke.iort and Evidence of the Committee wero ordered to be printed; and the Council adjourned till Monday evening.