MOKAU INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1258, 13 October 1911, Page 4

MOKAU INQUIRY.

ME. MASSEY'S STATEMENT AT LEVIN. Tho Native Affairs Committee sat for a few minutes, in pursuance of tho Mokau Inquiry, yesterday morning, in order. thnt Mr. Massey might Ixs questioned regarding a statement lie bad made at Levin ou Monday evening last. Tho chairman, addressing Mr. Masscy, said; "Tho Committee has decided, in connection with a paragraph placed before, it that you should lie asked to give evidence in connection villi it, or to my whether tho statement is correct. Sir Jap.. Carroll has the paragraph containing tho statement." Mr. Masscy said he did not as yet knnw what the statement was. Sir .las. Carroll: "1 have asked tho Committee, before we leave Mokau, to let me ask you ono question. I think it only fair, as far as tho Government is concerned, that it should be asked you. You' made a statement in dealing with the Mokau case at Levin." Sir Jas. Carroll then quoted the statement as follows:— "What had been sold was tho right to exploit settlers, and it was done by virtue of a wretched little provision which had been slipped into tho Native Land Act to permit the issue of an Order-in-Council. This was the sort of thing :hat was happening." r "Of course," Sir Jas. Cairroll continued, "that directly charges tho Government with having specially passed tho clause in connection with the Mokau Block." Mr. Masscy: I did not say so. You will probably remember that when I examined the head of the Department—l think it was the head of the Department—l asked him if tho clause had been passed to meet' this case, and his reply was in tho negative. Sir Jas. Carroll: "I thought it only fnir that you should be asked this question." Mr. Massey: "I had my answer. At the same time, I think it has no right to bo there in that form." Sir Jos. Carroll: "That is a different thing. That is your opinion." Mr. Massey added that probably when the Bill was goin* through Committee he would not have noticed the clause, as it was customary to leave matters relating to Native affairs to tho Native Affairs Committee, but that in any case ho was absent at the time. It was not noticed in tho Upper House either. This terminated the proceedings,