NATIVE ESTATE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1918, Page 4

NATIVE ESTATE INQUIRY.

PUBLIC TRUF.'i.'IOI-: AGENT COX(JKKM'JD. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, March 22 slr. Bishop. K.M., sit to-tlav as a Roynl Commission to inmiiri' into ma tiers connected villi i: Pangi Kcvi-linina estate Wairarapa. The commission is ,iio outcome of the charges made in P.uliamcnt by Mr. Hornsby. The partUis represented by counsel are Mr. Hornsby, Mr. Chemiolls, formerly agent for the Public Trustca in Wairarapa, and the Public Trustee. Mr. Mo.-ison, for Mr. Hornsby, in the '■ourse of his opcniti'.' n.-liln-ss, said thut before Rangi Ker'hoina came of n"c Ihe Public Trustee administered his estate, which was valued then at from ':SI),()0H lo CHHI.OOO.' Hi.\ months after his comin» of age Rangi Kcrehoma gave Channells a power-of-altoniey which enabled ;the latter to do things it was alleged he should not have done- in administering the estate. When Ihe power-of-nttoniey was revoked in cou-cqm-nee of cerlai'n land transactions, the statement, of accounts by Chenneils , ~iiowe"d the most startling iwprovidencc. Rangi Kereholna was spending money at the rate of thousands a jvar. The inquiry is proceeding. Wellington, Last Night. At the commission of inquiry into the Kerelionia estate, Mr. Skerreft argued tliaf the commission could inquire into the conduct of a public officer, and into his conduct as a public oflicer only. He contended that after Kcrehoma, attained his majority, Chenneli did not act for him as an officer of the Public Trust, but as a private agent. He suggested that the inquiry should be limited to the connection of the Public Trust Office at Masterton with the matter. The commissioner said he would express no opinion on the points raised bv Air. Skorrctt. Mr. Morrison then argued that Chenneils came clearly within the. scope of Llic commission, because he remained (he agent of the Public Trust during part, of Hie tiiae he was making deals with Kerehoma. The inquiry was adjourned till Monday evening, when Judge Gilfedder, a witness in the case, will be in -Wellington.