The Stark Purchase. The Commissioners' Report.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 178, 13 November 1886, Page 2

The Stark Purchase. The Commissioners' Report.

.... .: :..- -Wellington, -Nov.- 6." - The Stark Purchase pommfcaion hftye; landed in their reports ' Alter alluding' to the manner of holding' the inquiry, the pommisßioners proceed as follows :—: — , Mr Mitcholson stated in bis letter to the Prejnior that there was" no doubt in' his mind but that there s had been a conspiracy to defraud the Government, and the petitioners add their belief that if a Commission' were held on the, spot evidence . couls. be. supplied to show that such a conspiracy had been entered ihto ir! They have, however* in our, opinion, failed to sustain the* allegations by the evinence of > any person that has been brought 'before us, - and. Mr Mitcheleon has admitted that hie suspicions have not been substantiated, and he regrets that he ever brought them forward* Mr Mitchelson, in his letter, and also in his evidence, ttatedthat rumourß were floating' about injurious to the characters , of , twa MiniBterBn)f . the Crow,n, and though not believing then* himself, he thought it desirable they should be cleared up, by the appoint ment oi a Commission; . Mr Chambers* Hon. Secretary of; the Vigilance Committee, gave form to these rumours by declaring his belief that ir Julius Vogel had been btibed by Mr Stark. On hearing his evidence, we declared that! if a shadow of evidence could be > brought forward in its .support, we would urge Ministers to en me up ' from •• Wellington to meet it. No such evidencehas been forthcoming, and w«» consider it> a baseless, maluvoient. fuupicion, unworthy of any further' notice. Numerous land agents and. other authorities who have been examined ,aa to the value of the proporty difter very much in their estimates, - but wo subjoin the names and cash valuations of some oi those who appear to v»«» to be most reliable : — William Milken, £15.000; Captain Bell, £12,000 to £14,000 ; B. T^nuer, £9,000, and with improvement* £13,000 ; J. Bond, £12,000; E. W. Alison, value of his offer* on terms, £16,000, cash .£11,000 ; F. Gt Gwingfcpn, £10,000 ;,0 Mays, £i(),000 ;J, Dacre,£9,ooo;T. Melville, £9,000; D.Goldie, £9,000 lees than the Government paid, £8,100; C. Williamson, £8,000 As these experts differ so materially in their valuation^, we find it impossible to fix definitely the exact value of'the land. Mr Stark had been endeavouring to sell portions of the block at comparatively low pi ices, since 1554, through various agents, and in Feoruary, 1885, he placed the rhole block in Mr Brown's hands for sale for £7,500, and there i-i' JRtle doubt dufc at that time the Government might have obtained it for that, amount had they employed a private agent to pecure it; but in April, 1555, when r h-y had entered upon the land to survey the site for the batttry, Mr Stark withchew fr< m the sale, saying that the Govornment were going to take it, that now he expected to get £20,000 for it We consider thai the price psid for the land was in oxce.vs of its value, but are of opinion there was no irregularity in the mode ' f conducting or completing the purchase. The Minister for Public Works ws»a guided by the opinions of the usual officers of the department, v.hich, he has suite.i, v. ere confirmed by other inquiiief he made, and Mr Brewer, Land Purchase Officer, who had only recently arrived in the district, was guided by the property tax valuation, and t\e consider bis conduct throughout the negotiations quite free from blame. >We entirely acquit Mr of any complicity in any attempt to defraud the Government, and ye consider h»s excessive valuation which be expected Mr Stark to object to was prompted by his rieeire to further the interest of his Department* 1 It is impossible to forecast what might have roeulted in an appeal to the Compensation Court. Messrs Alison and Seaman applied for costs, but we declined tp award costs against any party, and leave it for the Government to determine whether their cfiicei\? are entitled to compensation for thoir expenses in attending the inquiry.