MOKAU INQUIRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1050, 30 September 1911, Page 3

MOKAU INQUIRY.

The Mokau inquiry was resumed on Wednesday. Joshua Jones said March 3 IS C was the date of witness’s interview with Mr McNab. Witness did not mean to convey that Mr Jennings was there on that date. Witness wished the production of letters written by witness to the committee during the course of the inquiry, and this wa- agreed to and letters were put in. Wituess then read a lengthy written statement. He contended that two previous commissions reported in witness’s favour, yet the Government ignored the recommendation. Witness considered that a Government which so acted would stop at nothing to defeat justice. Wituess would have been able to sell his interests in London in 1907 but for damaging reports circulated in Loudon by interested New Zealand agents. In 1906 Lewis told witness as there might be trouble about the title he had specially engaged Sir J. Findlay and Mr Dalziell as he thought this engagement would prove worth while. Wituess consideied subsequent events had justified this action of Lewis’s. Witness contended that Sir J. Findlay had spoken in the Upper House in a manner that was practically in advocacy of Sir J. Findlay’s own firm’s clients’ case. At the 190 S Commission Lewis stated that he had not paid any money for the purchase as he had not a clear title, but he or someone else would pay when a clear title was obtainable. Yet this statement did not appear in the report of the commission. Wituess could not account for this omission. In witness's opinion the StoutPalmer commission had no legal authority to deal with the Mokau case. Alter dealing with the Order-in-Couucil, witness complained that this inquiry would not give the country any idea of the importance of this transaction.