THE PURCHASE OF WAIKAKAHI

Otago Witness, Issue 2370, 3 August 1899, Page 45

THE PURCHASE OF WAIKAKAHI

SOME MYSTERIOUS RUMOURS.

THE GOVERNMENT REFUSE INFORMATION.

CFbom Otto Own Corkespondent.) WELLINGTON, July 28. During the discussion on the Imprest Supply Bill to-day, Mr Geo. Hutchison critioised the action of ttie Premier in refusing to give the correspondence regarding the purchase of tho Waikakahi estate in Canterbury. The Premier eaid his reason was that vendors of estates would object to such information being made public property. Mr Hutchison, however, combated this argument by remarking that there was a precedent for giving the information established in the case of the Otahu estate, and that information was now part of the public records of the colony. But even if there were not that precedent to go upon, the people and the Parliament were entitled to know all the circumstances of the purchase of lands under the act. All such transactions should be made in the light of day, and open to the public in tho most complete form. — (Hear, hear.) He hoped the Premier would not further resist the proposal. ' The Premier, in reply, said if such inf ormatipn were given they would hay,e a difficulty an- obtaining offers of land under the act, and •they did not wish, unless- absolutely forced, to use the compulsory clauses. The Otahu estate via different. In that case a distinct charge j oC corruption had been made. At Waikakahi I every section had been, taken up, and the se- ' lectors could sell their land at a premium. j Mr Hutchison, at a later stage, reverted to j the matter. He said there was nothing in the Premier's statement that the giving of information would stop offers being made, for the report of the board showed that last year they had received 51 offers, and tm'B, too, in the face of tho published information regarding Otahu and Poroahaka. Thwe were rumours afloat regarding the sale of tho Waikakahi estate much more damaging than any that were ever afloat regarding Otahu. He charged the Premier with going back on his word in regard to giving tho information sought. He had » greed privately to give the return, bub b - -*oke his promise. The Proioier ctamed this. Mr Kvi<chison t how&vor, reminded tho Premier that he had given him a paper, on which there were four returns. The Premier had .egreed to give these, and had amended them in his own handwriting. The Waikakahi return was the third on the list. The Premier still denied that he bad agreed to give this return, and Mr Meredith took up rthe tale. He said it was evident that Mr Hutchison thought there was something doubtful, or wrong, in this case. Now he (Mr Meredith) was a Canterbury member, also -^a member of the Canterbury Land Board. -He had spent a fortnight in the neighbourhood of the. estate, and had seen hundreds of people. Ha had also referred the matter to tha member for Oamaru — (laughter), — and to Mr Flatman, and they said they had not heard the slightest report in tlie direction indicated by Mr Hutchison. Mr Sligo said it was a most wonderful thing that Mr Duncan and Mr Flatman could nave lived to this day and not heard the remarks that were being made about the sale of ■Waikakahi. He came from much further south than the membera named, who lived in the neighbourhood of -this estate, and there the rumc-urs were constant and persistent. It was a most wonderful story that these memben had not heard the rumours. — (Hear, hear.) Mr Roderick M'Kenzie said he had heard the ruraoura, but he believed there was nothing in them. Mr Duncan said he had heard no rumours, and the estate was a good one. Mr Moore remarked that there was no doubt the estate was a good one, and no one said » word against the Government for acquiring it for close settlement. But there were rumours in connection with the purchase of the estate, and that being so, the Government Ehould cause gomo inquiry to be made into the ;• -jitter. When the Government purchased an «aat« for between £300,000 and £400,000, both tho House and the country had a right to know something about the details. They were supposed to be the custodians of the public money, yet they spent this vast sum and could get no information about it. Mr Fisher twitted the member for Patea •with originating the i amours, aid said he would not be surprised if the&e rumours developed into v, liomble 6candal. — 'L&ughter). They were baaed on a statement that appeared in the Chrißtehurch Press to the effect that game one got a large commission for effecting the sale to the Government. — (Cries of "No," and an hon. member : " That's not it at all.") The Premier said he would be astonished ii .there was anything wrong. He had heard nothing against the purchase. They did not hear anything about the purchase of the Star borough estate. Why? Because the agents were Messrs Fell and Atkinson. But the moment a Liberal had anything to do witli negotiations there were rumours. Mr Hutchison: Mr M'Lean is not s liberal. Mr Pirani : But the man who got the monej is a Liberal. The Premier: As far as I know there ii nothing wrong in connection with the pur chase. Mr M'Lean was never known to bi the man to dispose of his property at less thai its value, or to give to anyone a large sun of money for the disposal of it. There ha never been a single purchase by the Govern nient that has not earned good interest on tin money. . An Hon. Member-: What about Poma haka? At a later stage Mr Hutchison returned t the charge, and produoed the actual papei which he had handed to the Premier. H pointed out that the Waikakahi return was oi this paper, and that two of the other return liad been altered in the Premier's own hand siting. ' The Premier again said offers of estate would be restricted if the information aske for was given. In the absence of his colleagu the Minister for Lands, he said he was som« what' handicapped in the matter. Mr M'Ker eie was the head of the department, and h ithe Premier) was only his locum tenens. Mr Pirani: I thought Mr Hall-Jones wo the acting Minister for Lands. ' The Premier: I am looking after the lane furchase department for my colleague, an may say I do not wish to keep anythin back from the House. An Hon. Member: Why don't you give l then? ____^___^_^^_ Mr C. Wyeth, of Woodlands, secured sow of the French sugar beet seed distributed las •eaeon, and has obtained a good crop of De< from it.