MOKAU.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9607, 5 September 1911, Page 5

MOKAU.

ENQUIRY CONTINUED. (Peb Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. The Mokau enquiry was continued this morning. The examination of Hardy, tho surveyor, was continued. With regard to Mr H. D. Bell's statement that he was prevented from attending tho meeting of assembled owners, witness read telegrams from Mr Bell saying that he (Bell) would bo', greatly relieved if his attendance at the' meeting was unnecessary. Later'he wired that he would not attend the meeting Witness was against the sale of tho block. He was asked to take shares in tho company being formed in February to work tho coal in the next block to Mokau and acquire Mokau if tho primary, venture was successful. He refused. He believed tho capital of the comnany was £IOO,000. The Natives got £25,000 in cash and £2,500 in shares for the block. The last meeting of owners unanimously favoured the sale, To Sir Jas, Carroll: The price paid for the block was a very fair one. He would not have given half tho amount. To Mr Ngata: He had no communication with any member of the Government in tho matter. To Mr Seddon: The coal prospects on the Mokau block were economically speaking not worth anything. The lime deposits were poor. He had never heard of gold on the block. Ho was considerably out of pocket over the part ho had played. The committee adjourned until 10.30 to-morrow.