DEAL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15017, 11 July 1914, Page 12

DEAL.

"--v- /"♦' -f - SOLICITOR'S EXPLANATION. STATEMENT BY- PRIME MINISTER. (S-_C__ .TO "iHK PRESS.") '.- : .' ■"' WELLINGTON, July-10. The question of the Kaikohe Native land transaction, which was raited in the Hptise by Mr. Isitton Tuesday, was referred; _; this'afternoon' by the Prime-Minister, who read the following telegram,' dated : July f 9th,, from Mr Oliver Nicholson; of-Auckland:— • "Particulars of Kaikohe matter, mentioned' in' House by Mr Isitt are as follows: Mr Blomfield,:solicitor acting for Native -owners interviewed my client , Mr.'. Elliot,• -and', persuaded him to purchaso one half.of' interest in: land _in question:'and provide money !to subdivide-land as township and dispo_o;,to'.best advantage/as ;parthersbip property.-;- Price, paid was;-special Government'valuation, which was higher thaO; that of.any t .adjacent property: AgreOn^eht/! evidenmng thatr Natives l retained .'onenhalf interest .* was 'prepared and depo-ited rwith -Maori Land Board, who ,w _re>.satisfied '•.■•■ arrangement was most satisfactory for Natives.-, Clause regarding ; * railway was v - inserted by Mr Blomfieldffor Natives as-protection, so as to assure put-haser dduig what'every reasonableperson would dp/ get best results -for all.concerned. However, no necessity arose 'for. any r application to, Governanent, as/railway site was found; to be- located •so near to land in question, as to be as beneficial to same as if actually located: on-block.rTran_-fer of /whole; land wW taken- in Mrs Elliot's/ name, to avoid Natives being made parties/to probably oyer 100 Bales of. sections, "and. save-expehse of" confirmations of each: 'transaction -' and other complications,'..: suchi as death of '. individual/Native'owners. • /These formalities and complications- would have rendered * carrying < ; out partnership impiracticable. Whole of purchase money for hal-'inferest' actually purchased by Mrs Elliot- was ■■- _iaid Natives. . Trans-ac-iqn /'a._s entered:.," in+o when> Sir | Joseph" 'Ward/was Premier/ whose Govcrnmerit "knew; nothing whatever ef same.-/WTi'ole/matter/is. umqne in Native land "transaction, as Native owner will participate; equally ■ with European purchaser- irii benefits 'denyed therefrom, purchaser/finding all capital reouired '.%Jfor-." roadiriji./ surveying, etc., without interest, against. Natives. ; V: Mr 7 -tfassoy: said'that he .believed that: the contained 'a duiAlyfaccurate etatement of, the transactmn, iand he .thought , that; in-. jus-, tide both: to-the. and. the late GovernmentsM should be made public. The "names ", that had.be*en' mentioned, those;' of Messrs,; Nicholson,. Blomfield, arid Elliot'," were *• those of very; prominent citizens .of A ? c . k i?__ d » an-fh-swas surer that not one of ttrem 4o_d ' lend himself •>to*" do ranvthing that was not ;thoroughly_rtraightfor- ■ ward and "above boards (Hear, hear.)