THE HINE CHARGES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 185, 15 November 1910, Page 5

THE HINE CHARGES.

THE KAIIIAl" CASE. Bv Telegraph. —l'ri«« Association. Wellington, Monday. The llinc Commission sat at 11 o'clock. W. 11. Grace, formerly land purchase officer, .said he had received instructions not to have any dealings with Kaihau. When witness made out .'.'heques for 1 the purchase Kaihau was about to sit by witness, but he sent him away. Kaihau had told witness lie was to receive 10 per cent. In answer to Mr. Skerrett, witness said he had been directed to watch the proceedings in the Appellate Court, but had not been told to interfere in any way. He took no active part in the negotiations until after the title had been proved. The part purchased was the most suitable of the whole block for settlement. Replying to Mr. Myers, witness said that Kaihau' did a lot Of hard fighting for the Ngahinga tribe in the Apellate Court. Mr. Fisher, Under-Secretary for the Native Department, gave evidence regarding the correspondence of the Department and the Courts. Mr. Myers asked that the correspondence file of the Native Land Court for 1900 be procured from Auckland. ■ Mr. Skerrett and Sir Joseph Ward 'asked if Mr. Myers were implying a charge against someone unnamed of trying to influence the Native Land Court. Mr. Myers said he was trying to show that Kaihau conducted the sale to the Government. Wellington, Last Night. Robert Paterson, land purchase officer and accountant, said the Department had made no payment to Kaihau. He told Mr. Blomfield the Department must pay the vendors the whole purchase money. H. Otterson, clerk of the House of Representatives, said the Maori Lands Claims Adjustment Act was passed in 1906, of which clause 26 authorised the Appellate Court to review the Royal Commission's report re the title to the Te Akau block. In 1904 Mr. Kaihau had moved a clause to that effect and the House agreed to the clause, but the Act was not considered by the Council that session. Sir Joseph Ward quoted Hansard to show that the Government had not supported Mr. Kaihau's amendment, which was carried by 27 to 24. Remana Nutana said the Tainuis gained a decision in the Land Court against the Ngatihingas which gave them 20,000 acres, including the area in question, in April, 1905. Mr. Sheridan, land purchase officer, had a conversation with the witness and advised the Tainuis to sell to the Government. Witness said they would not sell, whereupon Mr. Sheridanreplied that if the Tainuis did not sell the boundaries would be shifted. Replying to Mr. Skerrett, the witness said he did not tell Para if he put Kaihau down he would get his commission back. 'Witness said he was not at the bottom of the charges against Kaihau. Mr. Brown also said that if witness did not sell the boundary would be shifted. That was in April, 1906, and later that year the clause, was passed by Parliament. This closed Mr. Hine's case in the first of the Kaihau charges. THE FLAXBOURNE CASE. The committee then took the Flaxbourne case. Sir Joseph Ward asked whether the charge was against the present Government or the previous Government. Mr, Myers replied that the charge was against the Government in power at the time mentioned. Sir J. G. Ward said this was an attack against a dead man and was a cowardly, scandalous and contemptible thing. He would remain on the committee and endeavor to combat, the charge, but would not participate in the committee's deliberation. Mr. J. D. Ritchie, of the Land Purchase Department, said the Court sat in December, 1903, and then adjourned for twelve months. The Government em-, ployed a number of valuers to go over the Flaxbourne property, their fees varying from two to eight 'guineas a day and expenses, except Mr. A. L. Wilson, who was asked by Mr. Barron if he would make an inspection of the property and act as Government assessor. Mr. Wilson agreed to act at ten guineas per day, and subsequently sent in a voucher for £165. Replying to Mr. Skerrett, who watched the proceedings on behalf of the Hon. T. Kennedy M|acDonald, witness said Mr. Cross, the other assessor, was paid ten guineas per diem for thirtv days for attending the Compensation Court, inspecting the property, and attending the conference. In reply to Sir Joseph Ward, witness said Sir Geo. Clifford claimed £410,000, but eventually was awarded £IBI,OOO for the Flaxbourne estate. He had not heard that after Mr. Seddon's death Mr. Kennedy Mac Donald applied to Sir Joseph Ward, as head of the Government, for payment of £6OO for services rendered in the Flaxbourne purchase. •Mr. Barron, formerly chairman of the Land Purchase Board, said Hon. T. K. Mac Donald was appointed assessor in August, 1903, and attended the Court at Blenheim. Then Mr. A. L. Wilson was instructed to make a report on the Flaxbourne estate in December, 1903. The first official knowledge lie had of Mr. "Wilson making a report was a voucher for £165 for his fees for valuing the estate. To Sir Joseph Ward, witness said lie was sure the late Mr. Seddon would not countenance payment to Mac Donald under cover of a voucher to Wilson. To Mr. Massey, witness said he considered Wilson qualified to value the property. To Mr. Allen, witness said it was not usual to appoint assessors without remuneration. Mac Donald was the first witness he knew of to act without payment. The late Mr. Seddon told witness to see if Mac Donald would act. Witness told Mac Donald he would not be paid, , but he still consented to act. A. IT. Wilson said he was asked if he would act as assessor, and agreed, but was not accepted. .Mac Donald was appointed. Witness spent ten days on his inspection, and made a confidential report to Dr. Findlay. Witness received £lO5, none of which went to the Hon. Mac Donald. the arrangement being that all Government money should come to witness. To Mr. Skerrett: He had often been paid ten guineas per diem for valuations. He was not asked by the Hon. Mac Donald to inspect Flaxlwurne. To Mr. Mvers: The fee for Flaxbourne was fixed at £165, irrespective of the time devoted. Further hearing of this case was adjourned.