UNKNOWN

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 13, 31 August 1911, Page 6

UNKNOWN

E •: >-■ ' - fit. f ’’ (f ■! IV ■" ’ • :•' a-n.) {■\ ■*.. t 'V ' ; ' a ,• i'g u'.t >3l . • The ?/. /. ’ ■ ■ fhis u; or nine. Mr .ve .■ coiumcDtcd on tile ir-terviovr ; iti.i./-i.'.i... ;£ssy pudished in the■> 11 New //.onkirid Herald, in which a. statonienl. v. as made that the inquiry was ~pro.wvxaiig slowly, but as the Committee was Composed of nine Govarmnect membors and only three Opposition, the result was a foregone conclusion. .Mr ,Gi ecusl;ide .expressed resentment atcfibe staten’.ent., IValter llctfry: Bowler/ptfeident pf the''Native Hand BOindd sun I dp tire application of Mr 'Da.lV.ud on behalf of Herman Lewis, witness convened, on the (sth January, ~a . Uigetiug, v .Qf. owners of tho block, numbering 108 in all. ’ There were ■ Eot ty,',auvtECGSv>lit: the first meeting, and of those twenty wore against a sal'cv.tO’UccjrifKi, subciau'so of the Act; iWupiVjGii'Ccl./'ho Native' Miii'ister to jllhVot’thehltio&bing con>H voued. At the first meeting a majority of owners, representing 30,000 acres, wore in favour of a sale. Witness did hot know of any case wlioro the Board .sanctioned a sale if one of the owners dissent,cd. Tho second

meeting was held on tiie 10th .March, | Mr Dalzicl being present. This meet-j ing was adjourned to the 22ud March, j Judge Ho'Uahd taking witness’s place. | Tho Mokau moneys were' paid out in two cheques, - each on the Ist June, j One cheque, representing ten per cent, I the natives wished witness to hold. to. cover legal expenses, etc. .This, wsir-f done at. the natives’ own unanimous request, and witness held tins moneh?< now, excepting '£27o, of which ; had been paid to Mr MacDonald and, £IOO to another"agent. Andrew Eke-J tone had asked witness for somemou-" ey on account, but witness haiT? hot paid him. : Witness produced h statement of accounts by agents, including Hardy’s for £373 , ; I-, MV Bowler, said thut: only.. three Jof;. the committee-of natives so far as’die knew laid claims against the ten per cent ho was holding as trustee. Hp could not account for the fact that a letter written by J ones on the 11th did nob reach idur till/ the 22nd. Ho received a wire from Mr Dalziell informing iahp ,that the Ordev'-ityCou ucpl bad been made. Heaven fled this from flic head office in Wellington. i> Mr’ Massey asked if it was customary to lake' such iaforiuation from |u individual ou|.jidc. service, i Mr' Bowler r •'7'ier'toialv; so long as U is n -a.” • ,•> To 8: .! :V riti'fidh r !;igi Maorh Laud U '.vd t<f ,y o';,: hi .eo’mlel--' tion wit.fi ..the -m i".g <>f assembled owners. y. s To Mr '.'t >: ■lire;:-meeting pf assembled c ,vmu a tr.ek place on Jraiuhry*' 6th,s' cujistiqtient Vo . vh-i' meeting of- ihe Label Mdard. Tho-’Bo'artl finally decided to recommend the issue of ap' appliehtiou.: fop iulienation. A, number of proxies were used at the meetings’ of- '-owners. It was usual for agents to piake .claims in. connection )vith obtaining signatures, etc,, for the'kills, of -lauds.-