Charge Against Mr Kinross.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2834, 28 May 1879, Page 3

Charge Against Mr Kinross.

[BY TELEGRAPH.]

WELLINGTON, this day. The Kinross case occupied the Court all yesterday. Messrs Kees and Nolan prosecuted, and Messrs Travers aud Chapman defended. The Hon. Henry Russell sent a letter to Mr Mansford, saying he could not attend through illness. Mr Rees iv opening the case went at length into the proceedings, before the .Legislative Council in IS7I. After pointing out the law ou the subject of supplying natives with spirituous liquors ns a consideration on payment for lands. Mr Rues read from Mr Kinross evidence to support the charge of perjury. Mr R_es occupied an hour. W. W. Yates deposed to supplying natives with large quantities of spirits when in Mr Kinross's employ, but the spirits wore entered in the books as so much money paid to the buyers. In entering spirits as money the amount was more than the ordinary price of the article. He was aware of the illegality of supplying natives with liquor as a consideration for land. Frank Bee, several years book-keeper to Mr Kinross, said he often received money from Mr Kinross aud Mr Graham, his manager, to give to natives.. At other times he had been handed slips of paper supposed to represent goods and casli obtained by the natives. The money supplied to tho natives often came back for the purchase of spirits. He had never known spirits to be served to the natives on credit, and had never known of spirits supplied to natives being entered as cash advanced. Geo. Davey, storekeeper, had been storeman for Mr Kinross, and had afterwards been a party with Mr Kinross to several mortgages of native lauds. Mr Kinross had cautioned him, when supplying liquor to natives, to enter it as cash. This witness went into a great many details as to,j the dealings of Mr Kinross aud himself with natives regarding their lands, During' this part of his evidence, which occupied several hours, it was alleged there was an arrangement between witness and Mr Kin-, ros*, by Which the former supplied liquor to natives, and land orders taken as paj tneht'i .orders, on natives shares of a number of blocks of laud. Mr Kinross honored th^se orders, and, with them, brought up natives laud. When cross - examined, witness acknowledged :havihg witnessed two deeds of purchase,- knowing them to be ijeeds Which practised a deceit on owners pf ,tjbo land. Mr Rees wanted the natives evidence taken down in Maori and English. The case was adjourned till Saturday.