PARLIAMENTARY.

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2333, 7 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER)

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]

WELLINGTON, tliia clay. Sceso la, the House.

DEALINGS WITH NATIVE LANDS IN 11AWKES' BAY. T!ie debate in the House List night was the liottest ever known in New Zealand Parliament. Strong language and charges of the grossest character were used. Tlie commonest accusation wa.s that of lying. It was a full house. The galleries were crowded. Members were frequently very excited, and scenes occurred constiiutly. Thy Speaker permitted the utmost license without interfering. Mr Ormond's attack on Sir George Grey had been in preparation ever since the House met. It was a good specimen of cold, calculated Bpitefulnesa. Neither the style nor matter was good. It abounded in vulgarisms. MR. ORMOND'S ATTACK ON SIR GEORGE GREY. M r Ormond, after the adjournment, appealed to the House to stamp out the imputations. lie accused Sir George Grey dnring his Governorship ot being incapable of telling the truth. He read a letter from Capt. Holt, circumstantially charging him with having, in conjunction with Colonel George, attempted to monopolise o0,U0l) acres at Oruanui, Taupo district. He accused Sir George Grey, when Governor of encouraging Southern capitalists to acquire landed estates in the North. An association was formed, and an agent appointed, which proposed to take up 250,000 Hcrcs. Hut a sudden difficulty arose ; Sir George Grey got cool. They met the Governor, and what did he want? He wanted to share in the land (sensation). Then all " went merrry us marriage bells." All the Governor's aid was given. A member of the Legislative Council was appointed director. He had letters to prove this in the next room. Sir George Grey : Bring them in. It Sir George Grey challenged him he would produce them. Sir George Grey : 1 do. (Load cries of " Head the letters.") Mr Ormond : I will <]vote what I remember of them.

((fries of derision and contempt). Mr Onnond, with some hesitation, continued : Sir George (hoy wrote to the agent of the Association to scatter a little (';) amongst the natives. «.Sir George Grey :. " name !" Mr Ormoud, the Honourable Henry Kussfll, and Sir George Grey, also wrote to Mr Locke: " For State reasons, don't let my name appear." The Governor had prostituted his position. He charged Sir George Grey with rank hypocrisy. lie challenged Sk George Grey ,and Mr Roes to have any commission appointed with arbitrary power to remedy any land abuses in itawkes Bay that could be proved; the accusera to deposit a sum to be forfeited if the charges were not proved. Mr iSheehan rose with one scalping lock erect, and proceeded to dissect Mr Onnond. He commenced by quoting from Coriolaines' "Measureless Liar, etc.," as applicable to Mr Oritfoud. lie said the latter went to Billingsgate for language, and Old Bailey for factH. lie took Mr Ormond's statements in detail, and disproved them in succession. He ripped up the Hawkes Bay laud transactions, and charged Mr Ormoud with wholesale bribery. He said lie used the office of Superiiitendant and Minister of Public Works to acquire lands by spoliation. He said that of flue euses three were issued in Hawkes Bay; one was settled in favour of plaintiff; another delayed by Mr Onnond attempting to bribe the plaintill'. Me characterised Mr Ormond's speech, as a specimen of remarkable audacity, grossly libellous, and of a nature which could not be rightly characterised without using a certain ugly unparliamentary word. Mr Sheehan spoke until 11.25. He was quite hoai'se when he closed.

Captain Russell hi a temperate speech accused Mr Sheehan of misrepresentation. He moved an amendment that a Bill be brought ins appointing a commission to enquire into, and redress all grievances arising from laud transactions in Hawkes Bay. Their decision to be final The losings*ide to pay all costs. Sir Douglas moved an adjournment, on the ground that members passions were excited.

Mr Reader) Wood moved that the letters \ referred to by Mr Drummond be laid on j the table. Mr Whitaker opposed. The letters were I given into his hands confidentially. j A stormy debate ensued of a very acri- I monious character. Messrs Stout, Bunny, Gisborne, J. C. j Brown, Swanson, and J. Brown, severely denounced the action of the Government. Mr J. C. Brown moved that the standing j orders be suspended for the immediate pro- ! duct ion of the letters. j Another hot debate followed. Mr Joyce got called to order, for characterising the : conduct of the Government as "cowardly." j Messrs Stout and Moorhouse 'charged j the Government with having obtained ! letters by unfair means. The Government ; had refused to give them up to Mr Locke j when demanded. j Sir George G&ey denounced the version J of the letters by Mr Ormond as grossly | untrue. He thought at first that Mr i Ormoud had suddenly gone insane. : The discussion was further prolonged. I Ou division the motion for the produc- J t; :i of (she letters was earned by SO to 13. ! The debate will be resumed to-day. j **fThe Holism adjourned at live minutes to two. A VERY DIFFERENT VERSION OF j THE STORY. ' Last night Sir George Grey received the j following letter, which he will read in the j House to-day :— "My Dear Sir George, —I remember distinctly the circumstances to which your enquiry refer?:, though it is now ten years

since they occurred. You were desiroug of inducing settlers to occupy the interior, and spoke to Mr H. Russell, Mr Cox, and myself on the subject. You had received offers of country for a run from the natives arid these you passed over to us. Wo proposed to form a Company with MrT. Russell and Whitakcr and you promised us letters of introduction to the natives, and advised us to go up and Bee the country. Mr Coxjttnd I accordingly did so, and afterwards Mr 11. Russell. Iv the/cud it was decided that the prospects ware not satisfactory and we abandoned the prospect. At no time was it supposed or intended that you should be a partner, and I think all of us understood that your only interest in the matter was your desire to induce settlement in the int&rior, as the natives scorned disposed to be friendly, and as you j believed that intercourse with Europeans ; would have a good effect upon them. Believe me, yours very truly,

G. S. WHITMORE." It was also part of Sir George Grey's place to establish a town in Taupo, and station a regiment there. SIR GEORGE GREY AND THE NEW PARTY. Messrs Lusk, Hamlin, and Sheehan, were the Auckland members present at the Middle Party caucus. Sir George Grey is rather annoyed at the desertion of some of his own followers. He remonstrated with Mr L,usk yeaterday. The Government whips and ardent supporters are endeavouring to >ow dissension between Sir George Grey's party and the Middle party. It is now considered doubtful whether the two parties will lie able to work together. The Middle party will probably hold together this session, and try to form a strong Opposition next session. A statement in the " Evening Post" that Sir George Grey contemplates resigning and returning to the Kawau is utterly nilf»unded. Sir George Grey will remain at his post to the last, if his health does not fail. He is carefully saving his strength. The Auckland members generally are the most constant in the House. Mr Swanson is never absent.

THE "WAKA MAORI" CASE. Great interest was felt in the action brought by the Hon. Henry Russell against the Government printer for a libel in the "Waka Maori." When the verdict of the jury, £500 damages, was made known, blank consternation rested on the faces of Government supporters, and joy on those of the Opposition. The costs against the Government amount to £3000. The verdict is considered in the lobbies to be very damaging to the Government. KAII »ARA N AVK J ATIO N. Mr Tole asked the Commissioner of Customs if the Government will give effect to the recommendation of the Public Petitions' Committee in reference to ths petition of merchants, ship-owners, and shipmasters, relative to the alteration and increase of buoys, beacons, and other essentials to safe navigation in Kaipara harbour.

The Commissioner of Customs replied that steps were being taken to carry out the suggestions of the petitioners next month. The harbour would be surveyed, and buoys, etc., were in course of construction. The petitioners alleged that the harbour dues would more than cover the outlay ; but this he denied. None of these little harbours paid the expenditure upon them.

Mr Swanson, yesterday, presented a petition from the wardens of the Hebrew congregation at Auckland in favour of a strictly secular system of education.

DRAINING MOUNT EDEN PONDS.

Mr Tole to-day presented a petition from the residents of Mount Eden, asking the Government to contribute towards the expense of draining the stagnant pond. The petitioners offer to expend one-quarter of the County funds on the same object. AUCKLAND ARTISANS' PETITION. hi the Petitions Committee, on the petition or the Auckland Mechanics and Artisans, Mr Swanson moved the following, which Avas carried :—"The Committee is c>f opinion that opportunity should be afforded and reasonable encouragement given to the local manufacturers to compete in the construction of rolling stock with tke imported article, and that ample time be allowed for completion of contracts."

Os, Dit-—BapostscL SEajonty of the. Opposition.

An Opposition boast oi having 4S votes is going about the lobbies. It is also said, that this morning some members of the Ministry bitterly reproached Mr Ormond with having caused their down-fall.

On dit, that Mr Bowen, sighing to one of the middle party in Bellamy's, said, " Oh, dear, 1 should'nt be surprised if you wore to turn us out t'j-night."

[PRESS AGEXCY.]