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Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3880, 11 August 1873, Page 2

In referring to the candidature for the Bay of Islands election recently, we took occasion to comment on the alleged fact that Mr M'Leod had vacated the seat for a consideration, that consideration being accommodation from J. S Macfarlane to the extent of £200. The statement rested on Mr Macfarlane's own testimony. Subsequently, however, it was denied by Mr M'Leod. In justice to Mr M'Leod, and at his request, having given publicity to the accusation, we now give publicity to the denial. It was made in the open columns of the "New Zealand Herald" and "Southern Cross," in their issue of the 22nd ult. The subjoined correspondence ensued on the subject. On the 24th, Mr Macfarlane wrote to the editor of the " Herald " a letter from which he extracts the following : — * ' If you think fit to announce through your columns the fact of your having seen Mr M'Leod's note, which I received from Mr Thomas Morrin, who paid M'Leod the money to induce him to resign his seat in the Assembly and attend to his mill, I append the document for your inspection. — Yours, &c, J. S. Macfarlane." "The document shown us is an order of Mr John M'Leod for £191, signed John M'Leod." —Editor of "New Zealand Herald." Mr M'Leod thereupon wrote as follows to the "Herald:" — "In your issue of this morning there is a paragraph in relation to myself, the wording of which is partly by Mr J. S. Macfarlane, and partly by yourself. It would place me at great disadvantage, were I to excite the hard feeling of an able editor and a respectable newspaper against myself, and ingfavor of my enemies. But I leave it to yourself, if it savours of fair play, that an inference should be drawn by a public journal from a text, without the context, of a subjecb under discussion, especially when a man's character is deeply concerned, as mine is in this «ase. You say, ' The document shown to us is an order of Mr John M'Leod for £191, signed John M'Leed.' Now, sir, one line more would show that that order was on the Government, for an old debt due to roe in Kaipara. The fact is, that a Kaipara chief owed me near £300, and for which I held a Supreme Court judgment. The General Government haying taken the matter up for the native chief, there was still owing me £191. AMr Wm. Fraser having got out a judgment against me for £50, and he and Mr J. S. Macfarlane having placed it in Mr Hill's (the solicitor) hands in January last, I think with orders to push me, I then gave Mr Hill an order on the Defence Minister for the £191, while I authorised Mr P. Digna", solicitor, to get the balance from Mr Hill. The order states on the face of it what it was for. Mr Hill sent for me some time ago, and told me he had seen the Defence Minister, or communicated with him, and that he would not pay the order just then, but that it would ultimately most likely be right, or something to that effect. Mr Thomas Morrin, with whom I was dealing, being told of all this by Mr Hill, finally paid the £50 to Mr Hill for me, and got my order on the Government and my note for £50 handed over to him. When I heard of this from Mr Morrin I was deeply impressed with the obligation under which he had placed me, especially as he had done so without me having asked him. Mr Morrin told me afterwards that he had seen the Defence Minister, and that it would be all right by-and-bye. Now, sir, this is the history of the order for £191 which you speak of in to-day's issue ; but how it came into Mr Macfarlane's hands, God only knows. Mr Thomas Morrin, whom I always looked on as my friend, is not in Auckland at present, but, thank God, I can refer to .Messrs Hill, Ireland, Sheehan, and Dignan, solicitors, all of whom are well ! acquainted with the nature of tkat order for £191. These gentlemen will stand to the truth, and hence will sustain these remarks. — I am, &c, John M'Leod. July 24, 1873."