I.—9a

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Pkoof Copt * Hansard t Mr. Stjtton.— * * * He has Mr. Sutton.— * • * He has referred to a transaction with a Native whom he de- referred to a transaction with a Native, whom he described as a man of intemperate habits, whevoao hi» scribed as a man of intemperate habits, and, as usual, romorko ohould have rof orrocl to tlio oaao of a gentleman ! has attempted to fix an imputation on the purchasers who was attempting to get an interest in the block instead of the gentleman who was attempting to get for speculative purposes only. * * an interest in the block for speculative purposes only. * * * Hon. Mr. "Whitakee * * * It Hon. Mr. Wihtakee.— * * * It appears that he was living with the honorable mem- appears that he was visitina the honorable member ber for Waipa in the Middle Island when the first ! for Waipa in the Middle Island, when the first allutranoaotion took place, and then tho oooond tranoaotioa j sion to the matter took place, and the subject was took plaeo hero in Wellington between the honorable ! renewed in Wellington between the honorable memmember for the Thames and the honorable member i ber for the Thames and the honorable member for for Waipa, and the result was a very large wde of ■ Waipa, and the result was an arrangement for the land. I was in Auckland all the time. It was during 'acquisition qf a very large tract of land. I was in the session of 1867, and I was in Auckland:—Thin Auckland all the time. It was during the session of company was formed here at Wellington, and lin my 1867, and I was not here. A company was formed abooneo wao put down ao ono of tho company. * here at Wellington, * * * The ***** The honorable j honorable member for Dunedin City (Mr. Stout) has member for Dunedin (Mr. Stout) has made a very i made a very peculiar charge against the Government, peculiar charge against the Government, and that is j and that is that they acted wrongly in employing certhat they acted wrongly in employing certain Govern- | tain Government officers to collect information in ment officers in connection with the Waka Maori, and i reference to the Waka Maori libel case, and that when that when the action was brought against thooo officers the action was brought against officers of the Governthe Government defended thorn. * * * ment they were defended by the Government. * * It must be remembered that the Government were It must be remembered that the Government were to oomo extefit intorectod in this case, and I cannot see virtually the defendants in this case, and I cannot see that they did wrong in employing a Government I that they did wrong in employing a Government officer in the work of collecting information con- officer in the work of collecting information connected with the caoo. * * * nected with it. * * * Mr. Cox.— * * * During Mr. Cox.— • • • During the latter part of that session, the Hon. H. R. Russell the latter part of that session the Hon. H. R. Russell came to me one day and asked me whether I had : came to me one day and asked me whether I had ever heard Sir George Grey express any opinion ever heard Sir George Grey express any opinion regarding the farming country in the North Island, regarding the grazing country in the North Island. Mr. Russell said that he had o»Jy heard from Sir Mr. Russell said that he had not only heard from Sir George that the grazing country was of good quality, George Grey that the grazing country was of good but ho had hoard from ethora that tho rovoroo wao tho quality, but that all he had said about it was fully caoo. My answer was that I had heard from Sir confirmed by the reports of others equally competent to George Grey that the grazing country was good, judge. My answer was that 1 had heard from Sir but that thad not yet taken any action in regard to ] George Grey that the grazing country was good, but it. * * * We told Sir George ! that I had not yet taken any action in regard to it, Grey that we were persuaded that the country in the and, in fact, had never seriously thought of the matter North was good grazing country, and that we, with since. * * We told Sir George certain others, were prepared to constitute ourselves Grey that if we were persuaded that the country in a company to purohaoo ao much of tho land ao wo could the North was good grazing country, we, with certain get. I say that at this first interview we entered others, were prepared to constitute ourselves a comvery fully into all our offairo.. * pauy to lease a big block for grazing purposes. I say My answer—l being deputed to do the talking—was, that at this first interview we entered very fully into Thoro io no objection, ao far ao lam oonoornod, to what all our proposed plans. * * * you propooo. By all accounts the country which we My answer —I being deputed to do the talking—was, wish to acquire is undioputod territory, and therefore Of course, we have no objection, Sir, to your joining us. there can be no difficulty in getting 250,000 acroo By all accounts the country which we wish to acquire of it. ###### \s, a portion of a large territory, and therefore there An additional reason was that there were disturb- can be no difficulty in adding 50,000 acres to 250,000 ances in connection with Te Kooti. That was in acres to meet the case of an additional partner. * * itself sufficient to prevent any gontlomon going and An additional reason was that there were disturbbuying land in that part of the country. At that auces in connection with Te Kooti. That was in time wool was ouffieiontly low and ohoap. These itself sufficient to prevent any one leasing and stocking reasons, and the difficulty surrounding the whole land in that part of the country. At that time wool matter, were sufficient to induce us, after the matter was low, and the marketable value of sheep almost nil. was gone properly into, to bring the whole thing to an These reasons and the difficulty surrounding the end. * * * whole story in regard ■ whole matter were sufficient to induce us after the to these negotiations for buying a large block of land matter was gone thoroughly into to bring the whole in the North Island. * * * thing to an end. * * * whole story in regard to the negotiations for leasing a large block of land in the North Island. * * * * Words struck out in proof shown by erased type. + Words inserted and added shown by italics. By Authority ; Geobgb Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB77.