Mr. Reader Wood's Retort.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1735, 6 September 1875, Page 3

Mr. Reader Wood's Retort.

(Per Press Telegram Agency.)

In extension of our telegram on Saturday giving a summary of Mr Reader Wood's able speech on Friday night, we take the following from the telegrams of the Cross's special:— Mr Wood (in replying to Mr Buckland's insinuation that he was actuated in his policy by pecuniary considerations connected with the Provincial Secretaryship) said: "This was the lie that was fixed upon him by the hon, member for Franklin. The hon. member had sanctimoniously turned up the whites of his eyes, and with a Chadband expression, and a Wesleyan parson's whine, threw out an innuendo which he knew to be false. (Sensation, and cries of "Order," "Chair.") The Speaker : The hon. member must be aware that expressions such as those can not be allowed in the House.

Mr Wood : Then such expressions should not be allowed to be made by other members, and if any one in that House made use of expressions towards him, such as the hon member for Franklin had done, he would return them. It was not true in any way that ie had sold himself to the Superintendent of Auckland for £150, for six months, a sum less "by £7 103 than that which hon. members of thai} House received from the Colonial Government. That was an innuendo which had been thrown out against him which he would not stand, and the hon. member bad added, with a sanctimonious voice, "Lead us not into temptation." think of a man being tempted to sell himself for £150 for six months ! What a terrible end he must come to. But when that hon. member came into that House asking mercy, he said nothing about the fact that he had been negotiating in a private room with Ministers lor the purchase of land for thousands and thousands of pounds, on which he was only to cover expenses j only to get a few insignificant shillings. (Cheers and laughter.) If he might be allowed, he would quote Scripture to the hon. member, and say to him : " Take first the beam out of thine own eye, then shalt thou see clear to take the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Laughter.) He had been accused of selling himself for six months for £150, but he could sell himself for a much larger sum than that. He had been offered office by Mr Stafford in 1872, but declined. He had been offered office by Mr Williamson, but he declined - and he would ask how many new members were therein that House who would have done that? He had accepted office under Sir George Grey because three days before the meeting of the Provincial Council that gentleman had told him he had not an Executive officer to meet the Council with. He offered his services immediately, and Sir George Grey should have them as long as he wanted them, provided he had sufficient leisure, whether he received anything for it or not. He saw how the land lay. He knew that Sir George Grey would never be a nominated Superintendent, and if he (Mr. Wood) had chosen to come there and laud Ministers he might have been Superintendent ; and instead of getting £150 for six months, might have got £600 or £700 a year for a long time. (Cheers.)