Members Land Jobbing.

Auckland Star, Issue 1729, 2 September 1875, Page 3

Members Land Jobbing.

Mr Bolleston asked leave to move for a Sel est Committee to inquire into certain transactions in land with the Government during the present session by certain members of the Legislature, to ascertain whether these persons bad not brought themselves within the operation of the Disqualification Act. The hon. gentleman referred to certain allegations made in the House with regard to the leasing of certain lands at the foot of the Buapeka mountains to a gentleman who was a member of the House last session, and also to the land transactions with the Government admitted to by Mr W. Buckland. In the former case, the Government was not actually in a position to hand over the land. The agreement in this case was the most extraordinary document he ever saw, and entirely outside the law. With regard to the Piako Swamp transaction, it was not too much to say that two members of the Upper House (James Williamson and C. J. Taylor) were interested. It was tolerably clear that the Government were trafficking inland with the members of the Legislature regardless of the lav/.

, Sir Dons id McLean said he twice told the hon._ gentleman he could not get the final opinion of the Solicitor-General until all the Papers relating to these transactions were in Aw hands, and some of these documents SFV« Tan P°' To the appointment of a '5? i- X ommittee ' the Government had not Me slightest objection, and-would give every assistance in their power in the matter. The ,m. gentleman ought to know that in the *p* vf.Wi to, at the base of the Raupeka *a'\ Vtlie Goyernment had stepped] in th -wS__ — h thoße *ands for the futllre ÜBe of _5« P/ an<*> although upon certain conTkTls^ 011 were absolntely necessary. l««jy i l^ also secured other large, tracts of «h4 for settlement, for. the benefit of the conntry m the samejway. k fir. T.. Kelly said it^was not right to ™mg such an important motion before the aww without notice. A* fa Mhe Ml ad

gather, from the motion of the hon. member, it appeared to him that a stop ought to be put to the purchase of native lands in the JNorth Island. With the establishment of the public works policy the Government should have put a stop at once to direct purchase.

Mr. Sheehan was glad a Select Committee was going to be appointed. It would not do to allow these imputations to hang over the heads of members of the Legislature. There were several of these land transactions which were decidedly illegal and should have been prevented by the Government. Take the case of the Ohinemutu purchase, where the promoters got the late member forKaiapoito serve for them. The Hauraki purchase was amther case in point. Mr Rolleston said it mattered not how much a country was benefitted by certain transactions ; no country could obtain any substantial benefit by illegal transactions, such as those referred to decidedly were. The resolution was agreed to, - and notice given of the names of the committee.