H.—3l

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

LETTER FROM THE HON. MR. RUSSELL, ENCLOSING LETTERS REFERRED TO BY THE HON. MR. ORMOND IN HIS SPEECH OF 6TH SEPTEMBER, 1877, TOGETHER WITH STATEMENT BY THE HON. MR. RUSSELL.

No. 1. The Hon. H. R. Russell to the Hon. Sir W. Fitzheebeet. Sib,— I have now the honor respectfully to address you again on the subject of the letters referred to in Mr. Ortnond's attack on Sir George Grey, the honourable member for the Thames. I was present in the gallery on the 7th September, when the letters were laid on the table by Mr. Whitaker, and I then addressed to you the letter which you read to the House, objecting to my private letters being read without my permission. My reason for then objecting was that I was wholly unaware of the contents or purport of the letters in question, written some ten years ago; and, although I felt sure they could contain nothing damaging to Sir George Grey, I thought they might possibly in part refer to other persons and things, that ought not to become the subject of public gossip, and possible misrepresentation. I was attacked by a very severe illness on the evening of the 7th, before I left the House, and have been ever since almost entirely prostrated and unable to attend to business. A few days ago, however, I made a friend apply to Mr. Locke for the letters which had been irregularly laid on the table by Mr. Whitaker, and ordered by you to be removed. Having obtained possession of them, and finding they can be all, without exception, properly laid on the table of the House in accordance with the resolution, I beg now respectfully to forward them to you—eleven letters in number and two reports, as per subjoined inventory. I have the honor to remain, Sir, The Hon. Sir William Fitzherbert, Tour very obedient servant, Speaker of the House of Representatives. H. R. Russell, M.L.C. Lettees. No. 1. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 29th September, 1867. No. 2. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 9th October, 1867. No. 3. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 12th October, 1867. No. 4. W. H. Grace to Alfred Cox, dated 12th December, 1867. No. 5. Alfred Cox to S. Locke, dated 22nd December, 1867. No. 6. H. R. Russell to 8. Locke, dated 26th December, 1867. No. 7. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 30th December, 1867. No. 8. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 15th January, 1868. No. 9. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 2nd February, 1868. No. 10. G. S. Whitmore and H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 18th March, 1868. . No. 11. H. R. Russell to S. Locke, dated 3rd August, 1868. No. 12. Copy extract from Dr. Hector's journal, sent to H. R. Eussell, about Taupo country, and forwarded by letter to Mr. Locke. No. 13. Copy Mr. Locke's report to Mr. Russell, about his proceedings in relation to land at Taupo on behalf of the proposed company. Enclosure 1 in No. 1. The Hon. H. R. Russell to Mr. S. Locke. My deae Sic, — Wellington, 29th September, 1867. I write a line to say that Mr. Cox will probably be up by the "St. Kilda" next Friday, to make arrangements for starting for Taupo. We have seen St. George, who has given us much valuable information about the country, but it is not of a very satisfactory kind, so far as the quality of the soil and grass go, at the north end of Taupo.