THE MOKAU INQUIRY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10902, 20 October 1911, Page 2

THE MOKAU INQUIRY.

* (Pee Press Association.) "Wellington; October • 19. The report on the inquiry regarding the transactions of. the Government ill connection with the .Mokau and Mohakatino blocks wa s presented by the Chairman. of the Native Affairs Committee this afternoon. The Committee prefaced its report with a summary of the statement made in the House some weeks ago by Sir J. Carroll, then Act-ing-Premier, and the statement made by Mr Massey at the opening of the inquiry. The Committee found the statement of Sir J. Carroll correctly sets out the facts relating to Government's association with the transaction. Mr. Massey's statement correctly sets out the facts referred to by himy and is in agreement with the statement of the Government, except as to three minor matters—(l) He suggested that the limitation provisions of the Native Land Act were avoided by the issue of an Order-in-Council, whereas in fact the Order-in-Council was issued in accordance with such limitation provisions; (2) the statement to the effect that the meeting of native owners was not properly representative was disproved; (3) the statement to the' effect that the company or members of the company will possess practically a monopoly of the eonl-beaz'ing areas on the west coast of Taranaki provincial district was disproved." The only additional facts which -the Committee deems it necessary to refer to, the report continues, "are that ' the lessee finally acquird the interest of tile natives in the blocks for a sum of £25,000 in cash and a sum of £2500 in fully paid-up shares in tile company, having a capital of £IOO,OOO, formed to acquire the Mokau and Mohakatino blocks and other properties. Mr Hermann Lewis, the lessee, sold all his interests in the Mokau and Mohakatino blocks excepting an area of about 7000 acres, which are subject to certain subleases to Messrs Mason and Chambers, for the sum of £71,000 in cash and £-1000 in fully paid-up shares in the company. The purchaser from Messrs Mason and Chambers paid in cash and shares in its capital the sum of £85,000. The sum paid to the natives for their interests in the. land was greater than the actual value of the interests of the natives, burdened with leases. Assuming that the purchase money obtained bv'thc lessee to be the true value of the block, suggestions were made- before the Committee reflecting upon certain departmental officers concerned in this transaction, but the Committee is satisfied that these suggestions arc entirely disproved."