The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo." TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1877.

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2336, 11 September 1877, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo."

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1877.

_■<._ the: cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that need:, 1 esistance, Forthe future m the distance, Aad the good that \re t-_a do

The statement made by Mr Cox relative to Sir George ©rey's co__uecti__i w&h the proposed native lands transactiba at Taupo ten years ago is of a very different complexion from the grave charges contained in Mr Ormond's speech. Mr Ormond broadly accused Sir George Grey with haying as Governor thrown obstacles in the way of a lease of 200,000 acres in the Taupo district, until a bribe in tiie form of a partnership interest was offered him" when he suddenly turned round and facilitated the' negotiation all he could".

Colonel Whitmore and Mr Cox were tiie chief parties concerned in the proposal, and Colonel Whitmore at once wrote denying that Sir George Grey was ever thought of as a partner, or had the slightest personal stake in tbe association, or was interested in . any way in the assistance he gave to procure the settlement of the block, beyond the desire he had to secure the location of Europeans in a previously disaffected district. Mr Cox was the one upon whom Mr Ormond relied for his information, and he states, as reported by the Press Agency, " He never entertained any idea of Sir G. Grey being corruptly connected with the transaction. Any such idea was an entire mistake. Sir G. Grey never knew who the members of the proposed company were." The only ground whatever for connecting Sir George Grey's name with the purchase was that at the second interview with him ou the subject, Mr Cox says, Sir George asked whether there would be any objection to him taking an interest in the Association; but after a few days' consideration Sir George withdrew, asserting us his reason that he desired to avoid even the appearance of evil. The course which any high-minded man, placedin Mr Ormond'scircumstances, would have pursued, is hardly a matter of opinion. Shewn to be wrong, he would at once have withdrawn his charges, and expressed regret that he had fallen into error. But Mr Ormond has acted otherwise. Professing to think that, Mr Cox's statement bears out his own serious allegations, he, with the Government, voted in such n way as to baulk the inquiry which Sir George Grey demanded. Mr Rees's motion, that a committee should be appointed to investigate the Hawke's Ray land transactions, with Sir George Grey's addition that the committee should inquire into the charges made ugain.it himself, was shelved by the Government, voting for the "previous question." Mr Ormond by this means succeeds in thwarting the inquiry which he called for so loudly the other day, while he prevents Sir George Grey from proving by tho production of evidence that the allegations made against him arc untrue. Mr Ormond excuses himself for his intemperate language hy pleading that he was goaded on by I lie accusations and attacks made upon him ; hut he conveniently overlooks the fact, that, the response which his statements brought from Sir George Grey was an instant demand for full inquiry, while Mr Ormond has by the Governmentinlluence, frustrated the attempt to secure the appointment of a committee before which lie could have vindicated himself and shewnwhat a greatly abused man lie lias been, if Sir George Grey had done hie utmost to smother the investigation of the very serious oil'enccs charged against him, wc should have been inclined to suspect there was something in them. The public have an aptitude for inferring wrong-doing whenever there is an attempt at concealment. Perhaps Mr Ormond lias a contempt for public opinion —we have known politicians who make that profession, particularly when the opinion runs adverse to them. But if lie docs value the goodwill of his fellow- ' colonists, if ho does wish to shew how ' good lie is, how base his enemies and accusers, his proceedings during the last few days have been extremely ill-advised.