MOKAU ENQUIRY.

Waikato Times, Issue 12179, 14 September 1911, Page 5

MOKAU ENQUIRY.

MR DALZIEL'S STATEMENT

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday

Mr Dalziel continuing his statement said that he and Mr Skerrett carefully went into the validity of the title, and havirsgi satisfied themselves applied for an Order-in-Coun-cil. Both witness and Skerrett attended till 3 meeting of assembled owners on the 6th. January. Skerreit advised the natives that they must either hold on to thr.r land or go in.for expensive litigation, which must ■nsua. ".V.bs'v s offer-d them £25,0111) for the -«loc&. Mr Bowler, who presided, said that the attendance was not laPgs enough, to decidr : except on an almost unanimous vote, so the meeting was adjourned. Both Skerrett and Bell advised tils natives that th:; leases were defective, an-1 that they could clai'm damages for non-perfcrmance of the covenant. Witness later received word that the carrying of the resolution was doubtful, so he advised his client to withdraw his offer and test the validity of the leases. Mr Hosking, K.C., advised witness that Lewis was not liable for the nonperformance of any covenant before his taking up the lease. Lewis had, at this stage, entered into a contract to sell, whereby he was to get £-17,'100 for the leases god £25,(1(10 fur the freehold or, if the could not obtain the freehold, the leases were to l>e sold for the price mentioned. At the meeting on the tenth March, Mr Macßonald said that the natives were arriving at an opinion that they oinht to sell, but asked an adjournment to enable a consultation with the Mokau natives. This was to and at a meeting on 20th March a resolution, agreeing to the sale was passed without dissent.