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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6292, 30 October 1891, Page 2

Sin William Fox. and Mr Rees are political foes of long standing. Their hostility dates from the timo when Sir George Grey posed as the -liberator of the "serfs'' of New Zealand, when Mr Rees joined tho " Heaven - born " statesman's standard. Hence we find Mr Rees saying, in his letter to the Auckland Herald, that having proved Sir William's assertions respecting Sir George Grey to be absolutely incorrect, and having completely silenced him, he looked forward to a return blow. This was in due course dealt, and uaiue iv the form of

an alleged history of the gift of " that £300." Mr Recs replies aa follows:— " When the Commission for the West Coast was promised by Sir George Grey, I was spoken to by several native chiefs with a view to acting for their people in a matter of the very gravest importance to them all. I consented to act, but stated that the preparations for the case would be extremely tedious and long, and that I should have to proceed to the West Coast when the Commission sat. Under theee circumstances I told Hone Nahe, who was one of the chiefs interested, and the member for the district, that I should require a fee of £300 in advance. The Government having promised a j Commission, and the natives having little or

no money, it was the duty of the Government, if they desired that the natives should have fair play, to provide them with sufficient money to enable them to employ legal assistance. , Hone Nahe applied to and received from the Ministry the sum of £300 for this purpose. He could then have employed whom he chose. He did employ Messrs Sievwright and Stout, and paid the money to tbem. Mr Sievwright could also have employed any lawyer other than myself if he had _o pleased. I told Mr Sievwright that before I would undertake the very heavy task involved I must receive the money mentioned. Upon receipt of the fee of £300 I at once commenced the neoeasary preparations for the work. What that work was may be judged from the fact that it took, as Sir William Fox, says 'nearly five years to accomplish.' At any rate a good twelve months' work was actually given."