THE NATIVE LAND DEAL.

NZ Truth, Issue 474, 18 July 1914, Page 7

THE NATIVE LAND DEAL.

MR^MASSEY'S EXPLANATION. WHAT IS IT WORTH? Why an Inquiry Ought to be Held.

Mr. Oliver Nicholson,; .solicitor for Mr. George Elliot, broker, of Auck.land, and President of the Auckland Exhibition, has replied, per telegram, to the questions raised m Parliament concerning the deal m Native land at Kaikohe. That telegram was read m Parliament by* Mr. Massey and accepted by the Prime Minister as being a true statement of the position. Mr. Massey expressed himself as quite satisfied that there was absolutely nothing about the transaction which was not PERFECTLY FAIR AND ABOVE BOARD. ■ Of course New Zealand's Prime Minister is a mighty person, and when from his. place, .m Parliament, h,e says that there was nothing m the transaction unfair or "below ' board,'' iinost people wjll accept his assertion, and say no more about x the matter. "Truth" 4s not going to question tho Prime Minister's assertion based on the telegraphed statement, that "Costs" E. C. Blomfield, whose namo has been prominent m tho deal, was not the legal representative of Mrs. Elliot, the contractor, but acted on behalf of the natives, who were satisfied that the deal was all he said it was. Notwithstanding all this "Truth" must persist m its opinion that there is room for further inquiry, and "Truth" will not be behind hand m giving its reasons for holding such opinion. Instead of Mrs. Elliot promising to use her best endeavors to get a railway station built on the property,' m ! which she was acquiring a half interest, It now appears it was the solicitor for the natives who made her promise to do so. This, presumably; he considered some sort of a safeguard. As some of the natives are showing j THEIR DISSATISFACTION AT THE DEAL and have placed the matter m the hands of Mr. J. J. Sullivan, who set the ball rolling by bringing the mat- j ter before, tho Native Land Court, Auckland. there Is something to be said on the point they have raised. It j seems, also, that, after all, there was no necessity for Mn?. Elliot to use her best endeavors to got tho railway station on, or as near to, tho property a» possible, because It was found that tho site of the railway station was an near as could be. Indeed, the whole dllllculty 1m to explain away the promiso mado and the wherefore of the samel U Parliament Is Kutisfled with the explanation tendered, all "Truth" can say is that Parliament is easily satisfied. No honest politician, If Huch can exist, can deny that thero iH a growing conviction that the natives are. being parted from their lands under a very "easy" Land Act, and which has been made easier slnco the present Government camo Into power. Moreover, it Is In the opinion of many well versed In tho Intricacies of our native land laws, that this particular land deal was In aomo respects an evasion of one. or more, of the provisions of tho law regarding land deals between natives and pakchas. "Truth" presumes that thin point will bo subsequently thrashed out when the case comes up for revlslop, or whatever It ia that w to take place at Kaikohe next month. It is all very well for the Prime Minister to say that everything WAS FAIR AND ABOVK BOARD. but has ho had every aspect of tho position— political find legal— placed before him? "Truth" 'hlnkn not. and It Is possible that, later on. ho may Inojlne to tho opinion that -.U»« rc-oixm-in{kof the matter, us it is now propos-

ed, it a very desirable tiling. Mr. Nicholson, m his telegram to the Prime Minister, says that the price paid was the special Government valuation, which was higher than that 'of any adjacent property. "Truth" would like to know, through Mr. Massey, whether such is the actual case. Would Mr, Massey be surprised to learn that property m the samo block has been sold previously at DOUBLE THE AMOUNT PER ACRE, and that such a deal has been confirmed by the Natlvo Land Board over which Mr. Walter Dinnie presided? "Truth" would like to know how much per acre the Government paid for the land on which the Kaikohe railway station and premises have been erected? Was the sum per acre paid for such land greater or less than which Mrs. Elliot contractd to pay the Kaikohe natives for their land? Was the fixing of the price for the safd land assessed by any Court? Did the Hon. Fraser, on the occasion of his visit to Kaikohe, make any specific promise about the location and erection of the aforesaid railway station and premises or the continuation of the railway? Indeed, "Truth," oft its own bat, could ask quite a number of questions concerning native land deals m Auckland district altogether apart from that In which Mrs. Elliot made her specific and specious promise to the native sellers. "Truth" thinks that there has been a lamentable lack of frankness on the part of those immediately concerned. "Truth" knows of the existence of documents which. can throw much more light on these deals, but it is unlikely that such documents will ever find their way on to the table of the House Perhaps the best course to adopt would bo for Parliament to withhold its judgment on the deal m question till after the case has been re-opened and thoroughly investigated at Kaikohe. "Truth" is content>4o wait, m fact, it will havo to wait, till these proceedings are concluded and the matter de~ llnltoly decided. Then, It presumes, tho truth, tho wholo truth, and nothing but the truth, will come out. Judging from the attitude of Mr. J. J. Sullivan before Judge Wilson m tho Land Court at Auckland, h« i« determined to see tho wholo thing through. lie l« not concerned with persons. What he is after is to assure the natives GETTING A SQUARE DEAL. In tho meantime, it is interesting to learn that notwithstanding tho Prime Minister I**1 ** assurance of everything being all open and nbove board, the Native Land Board file of the deal which "Truth" recently inspected for itself In Auckland, has gone— U la said to Wellington to be glanced over m the official time of the L'nder-Socretnry of Native A/fairs. This ..In itKolf indicates that thero Is something doing In a political sense. QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. Mr. L. M. Isltt (Chrlsichureh North) gave notice on Tuesday last to ask the Prime Minister whether, m view of tho telegram read by, him m the House recently from an Auckland solicitor professionally concerned m the transaction In respect to tho transfer of a section of native laad m the Kohewaut block, No. 69, to Mrs. EUlot, ho would Instruct bis departmental officers to report on the transaction, with spool til reference to the following points: — U) V?hy wus 82 aero* and JO perches transferred. Instead of SO acre*, n« first approved, by the Native Lund Board? (2) Was an unnttunpod agreement accepted by tho Board? f3) Wo* the Hoard a.wun» Uiut *"r<mc!lU.>M m the agreement was thai the. con-

marry her after sho got the divorce. "But I would not have her on my mind now" wild Henry. Do you remember going Into Mrs. Kirk's house the day ydu bought these things?— Yes, In the dining-room. Mrs. Kirk and her daughter wero there, and Mrs. Fairlle wus on the verandah. Now. did you not eomo In and say that tho things were for Mrs. Kirk and that she need not bother about the money?— No. Wore, you not CONSTANTLY MAKING TROUBLE with Mrs. Klrk'H boarders, through your drinking habits and obKccno language?—No, never. Didn't she offer to pay you for tho things and you said not to bother about the payment and told her you bad paid for them and they were hers?— No. Mrs. Kirk's daughter look some of the things?— Yes. Did she not give Mrs. Kirk some money to glvo you for tho things? — Right and sixpence, 1 wanted alt the £A 7/-. Now, Isn't It a fact that you were constantly pestering Mrs. Kirk to marry you?.—No, never Were you not fostering your attentions upon her?—Me? No! Why she would get me to go round to her at seven o'clock and stop till half past twelve. Do you remember going with a carter

tractor. Mr*, Elliot, should uso h«r bou. endeavors to procure tho allocation and erection of Lbe railway station and premlH«« on (be said land, or a« near n« poiuslblo? (•*) Why was JC72Q pn«8o<l toy the Hoard a« sufficient consideration? (5) Had the Board power to approve of this transaction, whim only half of tho ooHKluVrmi.tiwnonciy wan paid? <«») Would tin* CJowrmnenl, ponding *uch i-i>urt, tako atop* la cavat H»« title I \ o*-**~s? *___—