§ MR. BRADLAUGHasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether his attention has been drawn to the allegations in the "Wairapa Standard" of January 8th 1881, as to the detention and punishment in New Zealand of various natives in excess of their respective sentences; whether he will make inquiries as to the truth of such allegation; and, whether, in the event of the allegation being verified (as other cases of undue severity to natives have already been brought to the attention of the Government), Her Majesty's Government will make any representation to the Colonial Government in New Zealand on this subject?
MR. GRANT DUFFSir, I have seen the article in question, thanks to the courtesy of the hon. Member, and it would be obviously impossible for us to base any representations upon it. Papers of an authoritative kind on the subject of recent Native difficulties in New Zealand will, however, very soon be laid upon the Table, and will, I hope, be satisfactory to those who are interested in this subject.