HAWKE'S BAY ROBBER RING AGAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1734, 4 September 1875, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY ROBBER RING AGAIN.

Yesterday, the Waate Lands Committee, on the petition of the Hon. Henry Russell, of Waipukurau, reported the following resolutions : "Ist. That the evidence before the Committee discloses a state of things highly unsatisfactory in the administration of Crown lands in the province of Hawke's Bay. 2nd. That the petitioner is fully entitled to compensation to the extent of £616 13a 4d, the amount to be charged against the land revenue of the said province." As it may not be generally known as to the nature of Mr Russell's petition, we may state that Mr Russell desired to purchase some land in the province of Hawke's Bay, in which Mr Kinross, the business agent of Sir Donald McLean, was interested. The Hon. Henry Russell, on a Saturday, presented a cheque for the land, initialed by his bank..'::, a few minutes before

the closing of the Hawke'a Bay Crown Land office. The Receiver of Land Revenue refused the application on the plea that hard cash was required by the Land Regulations, and after further conversation closed his office, thus preventing Mr Russell making his application that day* On the foUowing, Sunday, morning Mr Kinross received a note from the Crown Lands Commissioner informing him of Mr Russell's application. On Monday as soon as the offiae was opened, Mr Kinross made an application for the land as also Mr Ptussell, thus making it, under the regulations, what is termed " simultaneous." The land was put up after wards and sold to Kinross. Mr Russsll laid his case before Mr Ormond's Provincial Council a few months ago, but the majority of that body being composed of the " land-ring " he was denied fair justice. He has now obtained it from a committoe of the House of Representa-

tives.