LEGISLATORS AND COMMISSIONS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 8 November 1910, Page 6

LEGISLATORS AND COMMISSIONS.

THE HINE CHARGES

THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.

MR SYMES IN DEFENCE

(United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The Hine Charges 'Committee of the Lower House resumed this morning.

Mr Fred Bay ley said' he sold the Clandon estate through Mr -Major to the Government. Mr Major was only an agent authorised to sell the property. Witness sugegsted to Mr. Major that the Government might acquire the property. He considered that the property was now worth £ls to £lB an acre.

Mr Walter Symes said that he had been an M.P. from 1896 to 1908. He was one of the fiif t Weft Coast lessees. Before becoming a member of. Parliament ho personaJly went to considerable expense in advancing,the claims of the dispossesseed lessees for compensation, and in coi testing a tef<t case in the Supreme Court. After he was elected he was asked by the lessees to present a petition for compensation for expenses incurred in litigation by the petitioners He subsequently had £2OOO placed on tho Supplementary Estimates for compensation. Then some lessees outside witness's electorate who were omitted from the (petition -asked his assistance. Witness referred thorn to their own member, stating that if they wished him to collect their money he expected to be paid for doing so as agents. He did not charge commission to any of his own constituents. The fee charged wai only a collection fee of 5 per cent. In Hutchison's claim he acted purely as agent. The letter to Mr. Lysaght was not intended as a threat but merely as an intimation that he would not collect the claim unless paid commission. Witness gave details of his connection with the purchase of Baylev's property. He presented a petition in favour of the Government buying it. but in no way acted for Mr. Bavley and he never had communication with him except once by telephone. After the sale. Mr. Bayley wanted to give him something for the trouble he had taken, and at first he refused, but Mr. Bayley pressed so hard and said he would be offended that in the end he accepted a promissory note for £3OO towards .his election expenses. It was solely because Air. Bayley made it- a personal matter that ho took it. Cross-examined by Mr. Myers, witness reiterated his explanation with regard to the promissory note. He admitted that his own name was on the petition about West Coast leases, bub he was not aware, till Mr. Myers quoted it, that Standing Orders forbade a member from presenting a petition on his own behalf, lie did not consider that, there was anything improper in M.'sP. receiving presents such as mentioned in his letter. In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, witness sail he" had never mentioned any of these transactions to the Government, nor had he tried to influence the Go-, vernment. If he had charged Mr. Bayley for the sale of his land the amount would have been £525, not £3OO. The Committee adjourned till 5.30, to enable Mr. Svmes' examination to be finished to-day.