Exhibit No. 1.

Correspondence between Sir Walter Buller, K.C.M.G., and the Hon. the Premier.

Sir,—This morning's New Zealand Times contains a report of proceedings in the House last night in connection with the Horowhenua Block Bill, in which the following statement occurs:—

"The Horowhenua Block.

"During the consideration of the Horowhenua Block Bill last evening the proceedings became rather heated. Mr. Bell waxed wroth at what he considered an attempt by the Government to override the decision of the Supreme Court by Act of Parliament. It was a scandal and a shame, he said, in the course of his remarks, that this should be done, and by a Bill that it was attempted to smuggle through in the dying hours of the session. The Minister in charge of the Bill (the Hon. J. McKenzie), with equal warmth, retorted that it was a scandal and a shame, but not upon the Government. Since he had been a Minister he had come across some disgraceful dealings, but none to equal those in connection with this block. Sir Walter Buller was a man knighted by Her Majesty, presumably for good conduct, and who ought to be in gaol for his dealings with the Natives. He had assisted Major Kemp to rob the Natives by getting them to sell parcels of land and with the money fighting each other through the legal profession, Inquiry was needed into the dealings in connection with the block, and it would be found that all he had said was borne out by the facts."

I am informed by members who were present that this report is a correct one of what took place. I desire, therefore, to ask you, as the head of the Government, whether Mr. McKenzie's remarks have the authority or approval of yourself or your colleagues?

In order to put on record at the earliest possible moment my refutation of these slanderous statements, I beg to state,—

1.	That I have not been a party, either directly or indirectly, to any of the sales by the Natives of their parcels of land in the Horowhenua Block.
2.	That the only sale in which I have been personally concerned was a sale by Major Kemp to myself of two detached pieces of land, containing 8 acres and 4 acres respectively, being part of Horowhenua 14, adjoining my own property, and for which I paid the full price of £10 an acre.
3.	That, to enable Major Kemp to test the Horowhenua question in the Supreme Court, I advanced to him, in October, 1894, from my own pocket, a sum of £500, and took by way of security a mortgage of his own parcel in the Horowhenua Block. The whole of this money was applied to the payment of the costs of the suit.
4.	That the decision of the Supreme Court, confirmed afterwards by the Court of Appeal, established in every particular my contention as to the title, and had the effect of restoring to the Muaupoko Tribe the lands of which they had been unjustly deprived.

I shall be glad to have a reply from you to this letter as early as possible; and in the meantime I am forwarding, for your information, copy of a letter I have addressed to the Minister of Lands.

—I have, &c.,

Walter L. Buller.

The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Enclosure.

Wellington,

26th October, 1895.

Sir,—With reference to your slanderous statements concerning myself, on the third reading of the Horowhenua Block Bill, I hereby invite you to repeat them in some way not covered by your parliamentary privilege, in order that I may have an opportunity of justifying myself and falsifying your statements.—I have, &c.,

Walter L. Buller.

The Hon. John McKenzie, Minister of Lands, Wellington.

Premier's Office, Wellington,

26th October, 1895.

Dear Sir,—I am in receipt of your letter of this day's date, containing a report of the proceedings in the House last evening in connection with the Horowhenua Block Bill. I was not in the House at the time when either Mr. Bell or my colleague spoke. Subsequently further heated debate took place, and, being then present, I took the opportunity of stating that I deprecated personalities and the use of strong language when dealing with public questions.

If the report furnished is correct, Mr. Bell page 16 was evidently the aggressor, and he used terms which were out of place and unwarranted, for there is nothing in the Bill of either a scandalous or shameful character.

I can only reiterate to you that which I stated in the House—namely, that I at all times deprecate personalities, and consider that sound arguments and temperate language carry most weight in promoting the subject-matter in debate.

It was, therefore, quite unnecessary for you to ask me whether the remarks made had the authority or approval of myself and colleagues, for your personal knowledge of my colleague, Mr. McKenzie, must lead you to the conclusion that he is the last man in the universe who would ask his colleagues for authority as to what he was to say, or for approval or otherwise of what he had said.

In conclusion, whilst deeply regretting what has taken place, I must at the same time, for reasons which you will, on reflection, appreciate, very respectfully decline to be drawn into the quarrel. Mr. Bell's somewhat intemperate language may cause you with great force to exclaim, "Save me from my friends," for it was owing to the provocation given, I feel sure, that my colleague, in his place in the House, used the language which you have brought under my notice.—I am, &c.,

R. J. Seddon.

Sir Walter L. Butler, K.C.M.G., Wellington.

Wellington, Sunday morning,

27th October, 1895.

Dear Sir,—I have to thank you for your letter of yesterday, expressing regret for what took place in the House during the debate on the Horowhenua Block Bill. Allow mo, however, to point out that this is not a mere question of "personalities," but of a brutal and cowardly attack of the worst possible description. To borrow his own language, your colleague struck at me from behind a hedge. Taking advantage of his position as a Minister, and under shelter of his parliamentary privilege, he did not hesitate to impugn my honour, to impute unworthy motives, and to assail my private character in the most reckless manner, and in language coarse and scurrilous.

I declare that there is not a particle of foundation for the serious accusations which Mr. McKenzie has made in relation to my dealings with the Horowhenua Block. Your colleague says he can prove his words; then, let him do it—not before a "Royal Commission" of his own creation, but in the Supreme Court of the land, and before a jury of our countrymen. That is where I claim my right to meet my traducer, face to face, notwithstanding his insulting suggestion, "What was wanted was a Royal Commission, which Sir Walter Buller could not get round, and which his money could not purchase."

Mr. McKenzie may not wish to try conclusions with me in open Court, but I shall perhaps find means of compelling him to do so. In the meantime I have written to the Hon. the Speaker craving permission to be heard in my own defence at the bar of the House.

—I am, &c.,

W. L. Buller

The Hon. the Premier, &c., Wellington.

Premier's Office, Wellington, Sunday evening,

27th October, 1895.

Sir,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this morning. In my letter to you of yesterday I informed you that I absolutely refused to be drawn into the quarrel and I also object very much to be used as the vehicle through which my colleague is to be attacked.

The relationship between you and myself has been of a friendly character, and, this being the case, I am surprised that you should endeavour to place me in a false position. I therefore decline to be drawn into a controversy with you in connection with this matter.

—Yours faithfully,

R. J. Seddon

Sir Walter L. Buller, K.C.M.G., Wellington.