VOTES FOR SALE FOR £125,000 EACH.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIV, Issue 1182, 29 October 1879, Page 7

VOTES FOR SALE FOR £125,000 EACH.

( Wellington Chranicle.) Mr Reader Wood attended a meeting of the Liberal committee this morning, and announced that himself, Mr .Swanson, Mr Colbeck, and Mr Hurst, had determined to go over to Mr Hall. Mr Macandrew asked if this decision was irrevocable. Mr Wood replied in the affirmative. Mr Wood has throughout been a leading member of the Liberal committee. He himself virtually nominated Mr Macandrew for the leadership of the party. He himself was the most ardent advocate for prolonging the fight with the Hall Ministry. He himself only a few nights ago stigmatised the infamy of buying votes by means of subsidies to particular constituencies. Yet what has he done ? The following is a copy of a telegram which appeared in the Auckland Star of last night, from its Wellington correspondent : “Reader Wood, Swanson, Hurst, and Colbeck are trying to arrange terms to join the Government. It is believed that Auckland would receive half a million.” This telegram will show what price the Hall Government have paid for the infamy of these four Auckland rats. But the arch-traitor, Mr Wood, has got something additional for himself. It is understood that the vacant portfolio in the Hall G overnment has been assigned to him, and that he will he sworn in this afternoon. There was a meeting of the Auckland members going on as these words were being written, and it is just possible that Messrs Hurst, Swanson, and Colbeck may have been persuaded not to commit this scandalous perfidy to which Mr Wood was leading them. The telegram which we quoted above was, we are informed, furnished to the Auckland Star’s correspondent by Mr Wood himself. It is alleged that the real price offered is even higher that £500,000. We are informed on reliable authority that Mr Hall’s Government gave to the Auckland rats a promise in writing of the expenditure of one million sterling in the Auckland district. It is pretty certain that the southern members will resent this and go over to Mr Macandrew. In order to stave this off the Hall Government have promised to Mr Dick that an eighth portfolio will be provided, and that it will be given to an Otago member.