THE MOKAU TRANSACTION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 109, 28 October 1911, Page 4

THE MOKAU TRANSACTION

THE REPORT BEFORE PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington. Friday. The House to-dav considered the report of the committee on the Mokau transaction. Mr. Herries, in the absence of the' chairman of the committee, formally I moved the adoption of the report. 1-Ie explained that the reason no report was made concerning the original owner of the leases (Mr. Jones) was that his grievance did not come within the scope of the inquiry. If Mr. Jones desired an inquiry his duty was to ■petition the House. A principal witness 'before the Native Land Commission reported that the natives were prepared to sell tin freehold for £15,000. He believed at that price it was offered to the Government. 'Sir Joseph Ward: Not so.

Mr. Herries: It was known they would take £15,000. tSir Joseph Ward: It was not known to the Government.

Mr. Herries: [t -was known by Messrs. Lewis and Da'iziell.

Mr. Dive: And by the Native Minis ter.

Sir Joseph Ward: Records show to the contrary. Mr. Massey: One man claimed from the Government.

Sir Joseph: Not so. Mr. Herries, continuing, said the peculiar feature of the transaction of Mr. Lewis was the retention of £2300 of the purchase money for the payment of agents, when it was understood that the purchaser would pay these. Another peculiar feature wns that the president of the Maori Land Board acted in his private capacity as trustee for the -purchase in order to see that the subdivision was carried out as required by the law, and had mortgaged the land. It was not a proper position to put a civil servant (a.

The three outstanding points were whether the Government should have bought the land, whether the Order-in-Council should have been issued, enabling Buch large profits to be made, and whether the Government should have allowed a civil servant to take up such a position as the chairman of the land board had done.

Mr. Jennings, chairman of the committee, said the inevitable conclusion was that the Government had taken the best possible course and the best thing had been done in the interests of the natives and all concerned.

Wellington, Last Night. Mr. Jennings, continuing the discussion on the Mokau report, pointed out that whilst the Opposition had urged that the natives should be allowed to deal with their own lands, they condemned the Government for permitting them to do so. All Taranaki papers, Opposition and Government, had said that the right thing had been done. Personally he was satisfied that the best thing for the natives and the country had been done. The syndicate had set an example to the Government in promptitude in putting on surveyors to cut up the block into suitable farms and making arrangements to road the- whole block. As to the coal area, there were many l faults in tiie seams and the working expenses would be very heavy. The Maoris were quite satisfied with the position. Mr. Massey, in a long criticism of the transaction, said Mr. Jennings had done his best to apologise for the notion oi the Government. Speculators had been furnished with the right to make a profit out of the settlers. The transaction was one of the most extraordinary and improper that had ever taken place in the administration of the country. He averred that the meetings of native owners prior to the sale being endorsed by the board were not representative. Tuiti McDonald, one of those who acted for the natives, admitted) in evidence that he had told .Air Massey that the "whole thin« was a gigantic swindle." He alleged thait the issue of the Ordcr-in-Council was unknown to the president of the Maori Land Board until told by Mr. Dalziell, who seemed to control the whole transaction. In his (Mr. Masse.v's) opinion the natives had not received a fair price. The Government should have purchased the land itself. Hon. A. Ngata said .Mr. Massey had delivered his address to the jury and had made out a very poor case for the prosecution. He maintained that the natives had got a very fair deal, and the course that had been adopted under the circumstances was the only one possible. On resuming at 2.-T0 Sir Joseph Ward said that if the Government had purchased the land it would have had to pay in addition to the actual cost of £35,000. rates to the New Plvmouth

Harbor Board. As a matter of fact, the

estate would have cost the country £1)2,500. Twenty-five per cent on all rentals for all time would have had to be paid to the New Plymouth Harbor Board. Continuing, he said the complexity of the Mokau affair and the perplexity of the whole position was responsible for the Government deciding not to touch the matter. The Government had endeavored to acquire the estate compulsorily, but was advised by the law officers of the Crown that it had no power to' do so. He emphasised the fact that both Sir James Carroll and Hon. A. Ngata had stated that the best thing had been done. He also justified the appointment of Mr. Bowler. At this stage. Sir Joseph Ward was rung down. Mr. G. Fowlds condemned the course of insinuation followed by the Opposition. Tf anything had tended to prove that the course the Government had followed was rectitude itself it was the evidence given at the inquiry that had shown that the natives had been well treated, and so-called speculators had purchased a property which might have resulted ill costly litigation. Mr. Dive moved an amendment that there be added to the report an expression that the appointment of a public servant to the position of trustee in connection with private companies is undesirable. Mr Dive's amendment was negatived by 42 to 10. Sir James Carroll stated that be took the responsibility of permitting the machinery under the Native Land Act to be used in order that- a settlement might

be arrived at in t'his long-standing dispute permitting settlement of a large area which was stopping progress. None of Mr. Massey's statements could be construed into a ehargc. They were merely suggestions; that was all. Mr. Ilcrrics, in reply, said his opinion of the sale was that a number of natives averse to selling wove forced into a comer because they could not raise money to fight the case. The Mokau report was carried on the voices.