MOKAU JONES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 123, 11 October 1912, Page 5

MOKAU JONES.

PARLIAMENTARY ENQUIRY.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Yesterday. At the enquiry to-day ,in,|o the, petition of Joshua Jones, petitioner, in his evidence, referred at length to the Stout-Palmer report, in which he said it was stated that he had never had conferred on him statutory powers to acquire rights over more than half of the Mokau lands. As against this he quoted a Gazette notice to show the area over which he was given the right to lease for a term of 56 years. Thfo, he said, covered the whole area. He declared that at the time the Gazette notice appeared, John Ballance (then Minister of Lands) was ill, and that Sir Robert Stout signed the notice. Mr. McCallum (member of committee) What is the signature! Jones: It is signed "J. Ballance." McCallum examined the and said Sir Robert Stout never signet that in his life.

Jones: lam on my oath. I was shown into the presence of Sir Robert' Stout at the time by the then Secretary for Lands. He had plans before him, and said, "This is all right," and signed the document. It was pointed out that the original document could be obtained from the records. Jones maintained ~ tlTa£ Sir: 1 --Robert Stout signed the document, and continued his evidence, which he stated would probably finish to-morrow.