THE MEINERTZHAGEN CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 15

THE MEINERTZHAGEN CASE.

- ,- A. NATIVE LAND TRANSACTION. P£REIAMENtI>OES JtfSTJCE. , , 'Fabji Ou» Own. Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, November 26. ; j , For some time past a great deal of interest, both in Parliament and outside it, has been evinced in the case of Miss j Meinertzhagen, of Napier, tenant in >poa- ! session, of- sprae, 18,000 acres of- Native <)anrf j'known\as the Waimarama Blocks. The lease was rendered invalid owing +.0 some I technicality, and Miss 7 Meinertzhagen _bfts j been put to a groat deal of expense in an ['endeavour to obtain righta to -which *he I was morally and in equity entitled. ;In a ; petition to Parliament she states iJ^at' she ; has throughout the whole of the prpceed- | ings for the .renewal of her leases had to j contend ,wifcn the continued and determined opposition and interference of pcx» .sons not directly interested, in,. the. leases. Petitioner farther aaseirte^-th'at throughout the whole of the proceedings taken to pr3vent her |leasep jbo\6uggestio* hfkt*v6rf been madestbafc* ajay "of thVe leases were improperly obtained ; and although Airini Donnelly, one of the Natire owners, who has not signed the lease, reoreeented by Mr H. D. Bell and Mr T *W Lewie, solicitors, and Pani Karauria one of the lessors, represented by Mr A. L. D. Eraser, M.H.R., lodged with the Te Ikaroa District Maori Land Board written objections to the approval, of the leases,, none of these objections suggested any improper dealing by her' or on her behalf" with the Native owners. The said leases were obtained in good faith and were believed by petitioner and her advisers -to be in aooordanoe with the provisions of • ' The Maori Lands Settlement Act, 1905," and the Natives had received- in rentals thereunder the sum of about £5760 in the aggregate The matter was fully inquired into by tfie Native Affairs Committee, -which made a favourable recommendation in Miss Meinertzhagen's behalf to the House. The Government, recognising the justice of her claim, moved to .add a clause to the Maori " Washing-up " Bill giving effect to the recommendation of the Native Land Royal Commission in the matter. The effect of the new clause is to validate the leases over on area of 5000 acres of the land since purchased by the Crown, and to lease the same to Miss Meinertzhagen at the rate of 6s per acre per annum, instead of 5s mentioned in the original lease. Mr A. L. D. Fraser said it would be indecent on the part of the House to validate any transaction where there waa recourse to the law to have it approved. Mr Carroll said this case stood on a different footing. The Government was simply giving effect to a recommendation by the Native Land Commissioners. Mr Wilford rose and suggested that the clause should bevpostponed till next year, j He wanted to know more about it. Mr Massey*: I think the hon. gentleman I knows all about it. .!r Wilford : No, I don't. Mr A. I*. D. Fraser proceeded to give what he stated to be a truthful and unbiassed explanation of the case. He held that the legislation proposed w»e brought down on an «c parte statement of a certain person, plus very successful lobbying. While Mr Fraser was elaborating hie statement of the case, Mr Wilford interjected: Money talks! Mr Massey: It doe*. Mr Wilford: Yes, it does. Mr Massey: It was talking yesterday, and it is talking this afternoon. Mr Fraser went on to «ay that telegrams had been received from Natives protesting against this • claim. The Natives had never been heard. He complained that it was proposed to lease this land at 5 per cent, less than the Crown gave for it. He complained also of the attempt being made to pars special legislation dealing with the case. Mr Carroll again explained that the clause was "" to give effect to the recommendation of the Native Land Commission. The interests of the whole of the Natives had been considered. Mr Wilford, . after a consultation with Mr Massey, said he had learnt more in 10 rainute3 from the Leader of the Opposition than from the Minister during the whole time. If the statement of the j Leader of the Opposition was true, that | the leae« was to be regrrante-d by certain 1 Natives who had granted the lease before, and that there was some slip in -regard to the lease, and that was no fault of the lady, then it was quite a different matter. Mr Ngata said the recommendation of the commksion waa to lease the land at 7s, not 6s, an acre

I Mr A L.,,D. Fraser said the Government were not carrying oui^the recommendation j^.of ~ihffy eoikuiibeionV :-He said they were 'I nroposing to give %he. land at 30 per tsent. I less than its value. !.. 3^r;Cawa641 r -ife:repJy Jto.a question about , the 'rent, said, if there had been, no Jpg?K Miae !J&ij|eH^l^el£|ip6t^luppnf «havev&eeS*%njoyfft§? £• lease? oft Js,frffl acres - !atss an acre. Miss Meinertzhagen should ■} not -Jbe-jj deprived .oLfaer ri^bis. -ta-WhieH tfefci Natives had morally agreed. She was ; entitled2oto- sorate^consideratj^Jn/'and thef "jdaSfenintaat. h*d;*'g*te^«&*9p*ie''ffie : -cßff<3i-'-' ence- between- th'e v £a -*nd the*^.' " " '*' : Mr Massey read fronf'Jehe*"r#pert of the' commission, which showed thyt extreme value of the land was £7 an acre. ! fi««<!6nm<r~;f tfeSesMojr?t ftn"*ac?lu • together with the foftWy 5 l 6«* f ' rates would 1 leave the lessee any profit, especially with j the presemV.drop-.in the psicir<*£ t wdQb . . Air Wilford moved an amendment that ■ th« J'Bgfeemebl''' Be^sMTSfect'* 4 ' to '"'the passing _,of a- resolution-" by" Parliament authorising the same. ' Reeling* fcf' tne 1 House in^he 'matter < was shown by- the .division; the amendment , being defeated by 45 votes to 3. j < The three . vpted in Support of .it v -were' "Messrs "DiUonj.*^- L, ."D,- JFraeer, and I Wilford. j, The result of the division waa received ■ with hearty applause, and finally -the clause pwas agreed to on the ' voices. "•*, An amendment 'by Mr Ngata to make the , rent 7s was lost on the voices. On the third reading of the - bill, Mr { Fraser saicT this was*" tne worst piece of" j jobbery that had ever been perpetrated.' in | any Parliament in the world. : The Speaker : The hon. member cannot^ ' use- that word. - ','* '' n '*■■" ■" ' "-' Mr Fraser : Then I say' duplicity. The Speaker : You cannot use that word, either. . - . Mr Fraser agreed not W use it.' < 'H«added: "When the country reads *Jie true report it will not redound to the credit of this august Assembly. The Government dared not -take tbe lease they were now validating before their own courts. The Prime Minister ..said^Jie was fully conversant with the whole .circumstances. The matter was one of policy in' accordance with the report of the #i roval commission, and in & matter of, pqU«B.,thesGovernment must take the responsibliity. The Government had to oonwder the -fat>t- that ►but for a- technicality, the absence of ,a declaration jby the lessee, there would have been no ; tfouhlo. The Government had gone into the. master irrespective, of any influence whatever, and so far as he knew there was no improper influence of any' kind. The Government w.^s only asking the House to do what was nght. , Mr Herries said the member for Napier need not talk about a "Job." If there ' had beeri * " Job " it ivafl on the part of the opponents of the lady in question. The third reading of the oUI : was agreed Miss Meinertzhagen. who is a ♦■all. handsome woman, occupied a seat in the LadieV Gallery during the whole of the proceedings- ' ________