MOKAU ESTATE CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1916, Page 7

MOKAU ESTATE CASE.

(From Our Waitara Correspondent). Upon perusing the article from London in the News of the 23rd, referring to the late Lord Alverstone and his connection with Mr. Joshua Jones and the Mokau estate, I came across Mr. Jones In town, and drew his attention to it. lie stated that he did not wish to discuss any particulars with respect to the property named, as the questior of the title had not yet been investigated in this country, although tlie English Court made an order for trial of action, but expressed the opinion that tlie jurisdiction lay in New Zealand, where the property was situate, and where those holding the estate obtained whatever title they possessed. Mr. Jones stated that this judgment had been entirely ignored by the courts of this Dominion, and that although both Houses of Parliament had upon several occasions recommended enquiry into the case, the llovermiient had persistently discarded such recommendations, and that the estate was allowed to pass for no consideration whatever, through the medium of a gentleman who made himself scarce and is now beyond tlie reach of English law. Tlie question of title under tiie Land Transfer Act was urged before the English Chancery Judge, who replied that lie was well acquainted with that Act. which was intended to guard against, not to facilitate, transactions of this kind. Neither would any discussion on the Act influence his judgment in the ease, As to Mr. Jones befriending a near relative of Lord Alverstone's in' Australia, there was not much in that, lie was a squatter named Hawthorn, driving his *toek (cattle and sheep) from South Australia to Northern Territory, in the "sixties" of last century, and he drifted into dry country, where his stock began to grow less for want of water and grass. Mr. Jones accidentally fell across him and took him and liis stock to good pasture and water, which was the least any man could do for another. True, there was no track or habitation within 400 miles, but he was hound to have found, eventually, water (the main thing), because the stock can generally amell water a day ahead. No thanks In the matter at all were necessary, Mr. Jones added. "I should, further, be ungrateful indeed were I not to acknowledge the great kindness shown to me by Mr. Hawthorn in London, as mentioned by the editor of Truth."