THE BUSHY PARK TRANSACTION.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 307, 28 June 1898, Page 4

THE BUSHY PARK TRANSACTION.

From the vehement threats indulged in by the Hon. J. McKenzic against Mr Rolleston for certain statements made by the latter gentleman, in reference to the acquisition of the Bushy Park property, the public would be inclined to think that there had been a charge made against the McKenzies' honesty, or that the properly had been acquired by fraud. Neither the Press, nor has any individual, so far as we have heard, insinuated such a thing. It i 3, however, claimed that the McKenzies' were accorded terms in this transaction more advantageous than would have been granted to any other person in the colony. Unfortunately the hands of the Opposition have been much tied in dealing with this matter, from the fact that Mr Fraser, member for Wakatipu, belongs to the party, and is also a member of the Realisation Board. His speech last session in justification of the Board's action will be remembered for which bit of magnanimity he was told by the Hon. J. McKenzie, that " He had to do it to save his own ekin," whatever that might have meant. In connection with this subject, the Weekly Press, dealing with Mr McKenzie's speech at Riccarton, says : The real facts in connection with Bushy Park Mr M'Kenzie did not face last night, aud he has never yet attempted to face them. They have been put in a very succinct form by our contemporary the Otago Daily Times, and we reproduce them, here : —" Bushy Park was in the hands 5f the Assets Board (of which, by the way, Mr Seddon »s a member); a large number of settlers in the district were anxious to have it cut up for settlement; but the elections were on just then, and shortly after they were over Mr M'Kenzie, jun., took the place of the manager who had been removed from the estate. Then the Land Purchase Board is moved to report on the lani and reports unfavourably—of land which ultimately sells readily at £8 an acre. A vague advertisement is put in the newspapers referring to all the Assets Board's properties without specially mentioning any particular one. A possible purchaser inquires of the Chairman of the Assets Board about the property, and asks the price. The answer comes that a price cannot be named, as the property is 'to be put up to auction in March.' Before March arrives the property passes quietly into the hands of the Minister's sous." Mr M'Kenzie cannot take this plain statement of facts and answer it. He finds it more convenient to bluster and bounce and talk of possible actions for slander. It was excruciatingly funny last: night to hear him challenge Mr Rolleston to repeat his statements " outside that schoolroom," so that " he might be made to prove his words in a court of law." Nobody knows better than Mr M'Kenzie that the Riccarton schoolroom is no sanctuary of privilege. Nobody knows better than he where such a sanctuary is to be found. Safe under the shield of Parliamentary privilege, in his seat in the House, Mr M'Kenzie has time after time shot his arrows of slander at persons who have incurred his dislike, not even sparing Magistrates on the Bench and the Judges of the land. He has been challenged and pressed again and again to step outside the walls of Parliament and shoot those arrows, where he could be got at, and like the political coward and bully that he is, he has steadfastly refused. If Mr Rolleston's remarks are defamatory, the walls of the Riccarton schoolroom will not protect him ; he can be proceeded against. This journal can be proceeded ugainst for printing those remarks if Mr M'Kenzie thinks it worth his while. But we have no fear of anything of the kind.