THE MARAEROA BLOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9463, 6 September 1889, Page 5

THE MARAEROA BLOCK.

[by telkcraph.—special CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. A memorandum by the Native UnderSecretary re the Taupo-nui-a-tia Commission was laid on the table to-day by Mr. Mitchelson, who said be considered it to bo his duty to do so in justice to Mr. Ballance, as unfounded charges had been made ftgainst the latter in connection with this case. The memo, covers the following correspondence, which I think is all that "ill bo of interest to you ;—(Telegram) "Wellington, 9th August, 1539.— A statement under the heading, ' The Maraeroa Block,' which appears in the New Zealand Herald of the Ist August, taken from the Waikato Times, has been brought under the notice of the Government, and I am directed by the Hon. Native Minister to request you will bo good enough to state whether the paragraph is a correct report of your evidence before the Commission, and, if so, to bo good enough to furnish your authority for the statement you are reported to have made, that you si ere at liberty, under the power {.'ranted you by warrant, to do as you liked with tho balance—i.e., the difference between the authorired rate per acre for any land and the lesser amount for which you were able to purchase an interest, and could give it as a bonus if you wished to any native you chose. Please reply by urgent telegram, collect, and name any blocks in which you so acted, to whom the amounts were paid, and the amounts.—T. W. Lewis, Under-Secretary. To W. H. Grace, Esq,,Kihikihi." "(Telegram.) Kihikihi, August 10, 1839,—1n reply to your telegram of yesterday I have to state tho evidence I gave before the Commission Court here was not in connection with the Maraoroa block, but in the case of the Karawbira hapu ; and the report which appeared in the New Zealand Herald of the Ist instant ie incorrect, for I did not nay that I ' was at liberty under power granted by warrant to do as I liked with the balance, and could give it as a bonus to any native I chose.' In reply to the last portion of your telegram, I state that I have not acted at any time in the manner inferred in any block- bought by Govern-' ment, therefore cannot name any natives or any amounts.—VV. H. Grace. T. W. Lewis, Undersecretary Native Department, Wellington."