JAPANESE AND KAWAU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18170, 16 August 1922, Page 6

JAPANESE AND KAWAU.

WAR-TIME NEGOTIATIONS.

CORRESPONDENCE ON MATTER

NO EECOHD OP OFFICIAL OFFEK. The correspondence referred to by Mr. A J Farmer, who made a statement at a meeting of his creditors on Friday, to the effect that the Japanese Government had negotiated with him during the war for the purchase of Kawau Island, has been handed to the official assignee, Mr. W. b. Fisher. The correspondence comprises four letters. In no document is the Japanese Government mentioned. One letter apparently refers to inquiries made by a Japanese resident of Sydney with a view to a possible purchase of the island. This letter, signed by Mr. E. W. Foxall, the English secretary at the Japanese Consulate-Gene-ral in Sydney, and addressed to Mr. J. Nishimura, care of the Bussan Katsha, Sydney, is as follows :—" With referenco to our conversation about Mr. A. J. Farmer and his capacity to offer you Kawau Island, New Zealand, I beg to enclose herewith a letter of even date which I have received from Mr. B. Piitchard Basset t, solicitor, of George Street, which I think explains itself. The enclosure, which was a letter from Mr. Bassett, to the English secretary, dated November 15, 1915, stated that Mr. Farmer was owner of Kawau with the exception of some parts, which had been subdivided into farm and residential sites. Mr. Bassett. it should be explained, was a commissioner of affidavits for various Australian States and Now Zealand. The remaining two letters were addressed to Mr. Farmer, at the Civic Club, Sydney, bv the latter's former solicitors, Hammond and Cracknel!. One. dated October, 1915, stated: "When replying to your inquiries as to whether Japanese could be employed on works at Kawau Island, there was no time to ascertain definitely whether there were any Labour awards in force there, but we feel sufficiently safe on the point to reply without wnitiatr. We have made inquiries at the Government Labour Bureau, and are assured that nothing of the kind exists. The Miners' Union only applies to the Thames .and Ohinemuri districts—that is, to jrold mining districts. The coal miners also have a union affecting the coal mines area. The General Labourers' Union is confined to the city and immediate suburbs. Immigrants will be required to pass a simple test in English, but this should not occasion any difficulty."' The other letfor. also written in October, 1915, renlied to an inquiry hy Mr. Farmer as to whether JapaKe&i could acquire real estate in New Zealand, " We do not prohibit any foreign subject from purchasing, utilising, or disposing of any kind of property, except a ship," ran the reply. "A Jananese can, therefore, acquire either freehold or leasehold. The lew is contained in the Aliens Act, 1908, section 13. Thin is part of the Consolidated Statutes. A property owned by Japanese can, bo worked by Japanese labour."