THE HINE COMMISSION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 316, 30 November 1910, Page 5

THE HINE COMMISSION.

[BY TKLKGBAI'TT.—I'KKSS ASSOCIATION. J Wellington, This Day. In the House yesterday afternoon, Mr Allen moved as an amendment that the report of the Hino Commmittee be agreed to, except so far as it referred to the Te Akau and Flaxbourne estates, and the letter from Mr Symes to Mr McCluggage. He held the letter constituted a threat and contended there was unquestionable evidence that Kainau had taken £2OOO for conducting a sale to the Crown, £SOO of which went to pay the costs of counsel. In his opinion the Te Akau sale was not a clean transaction. In the Flaxbourne case there was no evidence to show that Mr Macdonald got a share of the £165 paid to Mr Wilson but the latter's evidence was far from sstisf 3c torv* i The Hon. J. Millar said some Oppo- i sition members had got into the House by means of the purloined letter, which was as ugly an instance as he could remember in public life. It was admitted by Mr Hine's counsel there was no charge against the present Government, and the evidence showed its administration was untained by Tammanyism. He then replied to Mr Allan's remarks re Kainau. The latter had worked for his tribe in various courts, and it was for that he received payment. Mr Hine could not get a complete verdict from either House or country. Mr T. E. Taylor deprecated the idea that a dead man's name should not be mentioned. He accused Mr Massey of slandering the House, by saying members were becoming lax in their ideas of Parliamentary duty. As to Mr Symes, he had no doubt he was prepared to do a corrupt action, but he could not get the necessary partner. Kainau should be called on to resign. He asked if some member of the Executive had not benefited by the Te Akau transaction. The net result of the charges was to show that no legislative assembly was cleaner than ours. Mr Taylor also alluded in strong terms to the pamphlet published about the Premier. Mr Massey replied to Mr Taylor, claiming that seven out of ten charges were proved, and had the committee based its finding on the evidence, all ten would have been proved. He denied that any member of the Opposition was responsible for the pamphlet referred to. He asked Mr Taylor if his hands were clean?

Mr Taylor: "Absolutely." Mr Massey resumed that he was glad he had nothing to do with the Taylor-Seddon law suit, but if he was free to say what he knew he would make Mr Taylor very sorry. Mr Taylor said he could say what he liked.

Mr Massey rejoined that others were concerned, and went on to criticise Mr Millar's speech.