Saturday, December 11, 1875.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 340, 11 December 1875, Page 3

Saturday, December 11, 1875.

Wn liavo already commented on tlio procedure of the Committees of the Gvnorul Assembly, and now wo liavo io bring’ to notice tv Committee matter in tho last sitting of tlio Auckland Provincial CmmciC which, if true, shows how attempts may bo made to turn these semi-judicial courts into political engines to an unjust purpose. Wo must promise by stating that the story comes to us from a distance, and wo hope sincerely for the credit of our now (happily) defunct Council, that it may bo refuted satisfactorily. Our readers will remember that a Committee of the Council was appointed during last session to invest igate the land purchases of tlio General Government in the North, Mr Pees was the Chairman, and it was generally supposed, erroneously wo trust, that no effort would ho spared to bring about, somehow or aiiother, a report adverse to the General G overiimont transactions. Money was voted for the expenses of witnesses, and a largo amount of evidence 11018 taken, hut fio report has hri'ii published to the world, and it is about its non-production that a rumour has readied us which we think should bo ventilated with a view to its contradiction if incorrect, or, if true, to the condemnation of the party which could try to achieve a political end by unfair means. On the very morning of the prorogation of the Council, so the rumour reaches ns, tlio Committee was assembled, when the Chairman (Mr Pees) entered, and producing a paper, stated ho had drawn up a report which ho supposed every one would agree to. This seems to have occasioned what is vulgarly called “ a sensation,” especially as the report tlio Committee was thus called upon to adopt in so cavalier a manner, was highly adverse to tlio Government, and hrst one member and then another objected. The two who spoke said quietly that before assenting to such a report, (hoy required the whole minutes to bo read over and discussed, and that they declined to accept Miy dictation from the Chairman. The feter replied that such a course

would take a very long time,, and tliat (ho Council was just on the point of prorogation; but ho was not able to browbeat the gentlemen who sat with him on the Committee, and so ho had

to depart with his report in his pocket. That is the reason given pretty loudly abroad why the public has not been favored with the views of this Committee on Land Purchases, or obliged with a sight of the evidence' given before it. Now we have already said that wo regret having to call attention to this rumour, and the more so because it would

seem to cast doubts upon Mr Pees’ honesty of purpose; it would look as if he had tried to rush through the Committee a report hostile to tho General Government, and, in so doing, commit every individual member to a substantiation of tho report, and that is tho reason why we really cannot give the most implicit faith to this rumour, which must emanate from some debased abolitionists anxious to detract from tho fair fame of Mr W. L. Pees, and of tho party with which he is asso-

dated. Every one in Auckland is aware of tho position achieved by Mr Hoes, and of the legal and wellbalanced mind he possesses, which would not for a moment permit him to do such a thing as attempt to constitute himself both judge and jury at once. Besides this, his professional reputation, and Ins well-known straightforwardness in all his dealings, quite forbid us to think ho could over try to hustle a jury (and this Committee undoubtedly might bo called a j ary) into giving a verdict on his side without any consideration of tho ovidonco. AVe really cannot imagine that such a thing can have occurred, and wo think we have earned thanks from Mr Egos by giving him tho chance of informing tho world through any paper ho likes that the report is incorrect which stigmatises him as having tried to prostitute for a political purpose Ins position as Chairman of a Committee, and which, therefore, brings out in a handsome contrast the conduct of tho members of tho Committee who absolutely refused to bo parties to so very queer an attempt. Wo shall bo happy to insert any denial which Mr Poes will forward to us, as, if not denied, wo imagine such a rumour might militate in a slight degree against his liaving an opportunity of sitting as Chairman of any Committee of tho House of Eopresentatives, and it would he a. pity if City East or any other constituency in this Province should, on account of so trilling a matter, refuse tho intense honor of being represented by u person of such high principle as Mr W. L. Eocs.