MOKAU ENQUIRY.

Waikato Times, Issue 12184, 20 September 1911, Page 5

MOKAU ENQUIRY.

THE COMMITTEE RESUMES.

(Per Press Association)

j WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Mokau Committee met this morning l ., Archibald William Blair, partner of Mr Skerrett, K.C., said nis firm since 1909 acted, for the natives in the Mokau transactions. All accounts for costs were sent to Eketone and others and they were not acting for the Government. Witness had stated to Mr Bell that Mr Skerrett was not then representing the majority of the native owners, meaning that the nonsellers were then in a majority, ! tit not that he h2d ceased to act as he was still acting for Eketone and a few others. Witness took the responsibility for unintentionally conveying a wrong impression to Mr Bell concerning Mr Skerrett's position. Mr Kensington, undersecretary fcr lands, said that in .1907', Mr Jo.-hua Jones's interest in the block was ordered to be sold by the Sup"&.ne Court, an effort was made to induce the Government J> ' acquire Ihe blocks for closer settlement, 1 ut as it was native la.nl this could n r .t !•■:. done. A little later Mr A. Hislop, acting for Mr Jones offered to sell to the Government for £i50,000 but this was not accepted. Early ; n 1910 the natives offered the land to the Government for £1 per acre. The Government had a valuation made by come of the Crown officers. The result of the valuation shewed that the Government could not give more then £35,000 for the block of 50,400 acres. Then, owinz to the number of claims of interests in the blocks, the Government declined to take further action until all doubts as to ownership wore removed. To Mr Jennings, witness said that he had put in all the correspondence in connection with the Mock. He had no persons! '•'■ owledge of the block, but he knew the cost of roading. It would be very heavy. To Hon. Ngata : The dip in the coal seams went the wrong way to make working profitable. To Mr Hemes : The anomalous difference between the values of the Department and the companies interested in the block was i rob-ably a question of th: value of the minerals. He had recommended not more than £35,000 for the freehold, free of any mortgages or emenmhrances.

To Mr Massey : Hei did not know that the block bad bean offered tc the Government at any set price. His estimate did not take the minerals into consideration. The committee adjourned till tomorrow.