THE MOKAU LANDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 65, 7 September 1911, Page 2

THE MOKAU LANDS

THE ENQUIRY CONTINUED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Yesterday. At the Mokau Enquiry the cross- j examination of Mr. Hardy was continued. j To Mr. Dive, witness said although he. thought the land not worth £25,000 he did not advise tlie natives to sell, as his advice had not been asked. The coal on the block was below the river level, and witness thought it could not be worked economically. To Mr. Hemes: If the natives could have raised £BOO to carry on, witness did not think they would have sold the block. To Mr. Jennings: Prior to the sale the natives were receiving Is 4d per acre for the lease of the land. The native owners had other lands besides this block. He noticed the only suitable locations for homesteads were already taken up under twenty-seven years' leases, and the company could not shift the lessees. The opening of the block would be a fine thing for Te Kuiti and the neighboring places. Exclusive of the sub-leased land and other encumbrances the block was worth on an average not more than £1 per acre. To Mr. Masseys Witness had never heaird of any negotiations with the natives by the Government for the purchase of the block. The area of the Mangapapa block, which was on the other side, of the river to the Mokau block, was 14,000 acres. To Mr. Dalzi&ll: The natives had been since advised to claim £IO,OOO damages for non-compliance with the agreement. Mr. R. McN&b, called, said he wished to remove the inference made by Mr. Massey at Auckland that he (Mr. i had acted with Sir John Find- ( lav and Sir James Carroll in connection with the purchase of the block. The first knowledge he had of the matter was through ail agent who called on him and asked him to take shares in a company to be formed to acquire the block. He agreed to take ,1000 shares in the company, the capital of which was £IOO,OOO. The price to be paid for the block for freehold was £85,000, and for leasehold £50,000. His company bought from Mason, Chambers and Co., and was registered on March 18. No one had ever been asked- by the company to represent them at the meetings of natives. He vns chairman of the company. He had never had communication with any members of the Ministry in the matter.

To Mr. Ngata: Tim company had no dealings with "Mr. Hermann Lewis. To Mr. Massey: The company was registered on March IS. Mr. Lewis got confirmation from the Land Board on March 22. The company had come to no decision in regard to working minerals on the block.

To Mr. Jennings: Surveyors had been working for the past three months on the land. The company intended-' to quit the land at once.