THE MOKAU LANDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 84, 29 September 1911, Page 2

THE MOKAU LANDS

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. The M'okau inquiry was resumed today. j\lr. Joshua .Tones said thait March 31, 1908, was the date of witness' interview with Mr. McNab. Witness did not mean to convey that Mr. Jennings was there on that (late. Witness wished the production of letters written by witness to the committee.during the course of the inquiry, and this was agreed to, and the letters were put in. Witness then read a lengthy written statement. He contended that two previous commissions reported in witness' favor, yet tile Government ignored the recommendation. Witness considered that the Government which so acted would stop «t nothing to defeat witness in his demand for justice. Witness would have been able to sell'his interests in London in 190" ibut for damaging reports circulated in London by an interested New Zealand agent. In 1 D 0(» Mr. Lewis told witness that, as (luw might he trouble about the title, lie had specially engaged Messrs. Findhiy and Dalzic.ll, >as he thought tliH engagement would prove worth while. Witness considered that subsequent events had justified thi~ action of Mr. Lewis. Witness contended that Sir John Findhiy had spoken in the [Tpper House in a manner that was practically in advocacy of the case of the clients 'of Sir John Findlay's own firm., lief ora the 190S commission, Mr. Lewis stated that lie had not ipaid any money for the purchase, as he had not a. clear title, but he or someone else would pay when ft clear title was obtainable, yet this statement did not appear in the report of the commission. Witness could not account for this omission. In witness' opinion the Stout-Palmer Commission had no lesral authority to deal with . the Mokau case. After dealing with the, Orde.r-in-Council witness complained that this inquiry would not give the country any idea of the importance of this transaction. Mr. Jones said that when he began negotiations regarding Mokau in ISB2 the Native Land Court had never sat in the Kino Country. ITc could assure the committee that there had been no improper conduct on his pant all the way through the proceedings. This concluded the whole of the evi- . dence.