THE MOKAU LANDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7930, 13 October 1911, Page 1

THE MOKAU LANDS

INQUIRY REOPENED

WHAT DID MR MASSEY REALLY ■MEAN?

A statement made by the leader of the Opposition, Air W. E. Massey, when speaking at Levin on Monday night led to tho reopening of the Parliamentary inquiry into the Mokau land transactions yesterday. Mr Massey had been referring to the Mokau matter, and, among other things, said: What had been sold was the right to exploit settlers, and it was done by virtue of a wretched little provision which had been slipped into the Native Land Act to permit, tho issue of an Order-iu-Couuoil. This was the sort of thing that was happening.

When outsiders were admitted to the committee room yesterday the chairman, Mr W. T. Jennings, said that it had been decided to question Mr Massey on the statement he was reported to havd made. Sir James Carroll had a copy of the paragraph and wished to examine him upon it. Sir James Carroll said that he had asked the committee before it completed its inquiry into tho Mokau matter to let him put one question to Mr Massey. “You can answer it or do anything you like,’’ he said, addressing Mr Massey. “But I think it is only lair, as far as the Government is concerned, that tho question should bo asked.. It is a statement by you in which you give special significance to a clause inserted iu the Native Land Act." After quoting the extract, as printed above, dir James added: "That directly charges the Government with having specially passed a clause iu connection with the Mokau block."

Mr Massey: I did not say so. lou will probably recollect that when the head of the department was being examined I asked this question: Was tho clause inserted to meet this case? His reply was a negative. dir James Carroll: Yes. But I thought it only fair you should he asked the question. You will see that it is a direct reflection upon the Government. Mr Massey: Oh, no! I got my answer through the evidence, and 1 did not want to leave,that impression. At the same time I think it is a power that should not be in the Act. Sir James Carroll: That is a matter of opinion. Air Massey said he was not in the House when the clause was inserted in the Bill, but probably would not have noticed it even if he had been there. Sir James Carroll said that this was the only question ho wished to ask. The inauiry was again declared closed.