PARLIAMENT

Grey River Argus, 23 November 1910, Page 1

PARLIAMENT

THE. HINE: INQUIRY. 5

Our Correspondent).

WELLINGTON, Nov 21 There -was a heated interlude during the sitting ot ithe.Hine committee thi». afternoon at the time the Flaxbourne case was under consideration. The witness was the Bon- Dr. Findlay. ' . The Premier in cross examination put the following question to Dr "Find-; lay: "Is it not ai fact that ithe late; Mr Seddon in connection with estateswhich were being. acquired had to virtually fight the whole of the large land owners.? .. '. . ; To this query Dr Findlay .replied : ; Yes,, and the same- was the case in regard to Sir John McKenzie. Fre-i quently witnesses for the Crown would? not come unless they were subpoened and conduct money was paid ito them. The claims otf the owners were largely ia excess of the awards. In-'thir-teen estates hebelieved it amounted to over half < a million.. ■ • '■'-

Sir Joseph ithen asked : So that Mr Seddoa and <th.c late Sir Jehu McKen- , zie were; able to save the country over < a milUon iri this way? - ; Dr 'Findlay replied: .Whatever say- ; ing was 1 made was due not so much, to the .industry of counsel, as to the, > anxiety of Mr Sdedoa and ' Sir John: McKenzie to see that the .price was a fair one. . .- , ■ Sir Joseph Ward (heatedly): And this is the ithan'ks that; one of them .gets. ■ • ■ s - ■ ■■■ ' • Mr. Massey: That is not fair. Sir Joseph Ward (amid interruption from the chairman) : It is perfectly true. Mr Massey: This continual sheltering- behind Mr Seddon as cowardly. Sir Joseph Ward: The cowardliness' is in the reference to his administration". • •'■■■, Proceeding Sir Joseph Ward insisted on saying that the charge was one against Mr Seddon' s .' tTovernnieni ; against his administration in connection with a particular estate; and in regard % to. a payment authorised by him, to Mr Wilson. The incident closed with a remark by the chairman that "This is a matter of comment. We are .simply here to ask, questions." ~

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