THE CADMAN-REES CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2519, 22 June 1893, Page 4

THE CADMAN-REES CASE.

Napier, June 19. The Cadman-Rees trial was resumed to-day. W. Hallett, surveyor, called by Mr Rees, gave his opinion relating to the values of the Umuatoroa and adjacent blocks. Umuatoroa, on the unimproved value, was the more valuable. F. C. Bierre, clerk to the Danevirke Road Board, said Umuatoroa was more valuable than Oringi. A portion of the block in dispute had been sold at £5 per acre, and smaller sections at from £lO to £ls per acre. Land was not readily procurable at Danevirke, people not being willing to sell. Expert evidence was called to show that the value of the Umuatoroa block was from £3 to £4 an acre, instead of 265, the valuation placed on it by the land tax assessor, and that so far back as 1882 it was rated at £2 an acre unimproved value. The clerk to the Town Board expressed the opinion that Umuatoroa was undervalued in'proportion toother properties in the neighborhood, and that he had called attention to the fact. The evidence taken in Wellington was read to show that originally the block was an inalienable native reserve, but that the restriction had been taken off. The manager of the Union Bank gave evidence as to the bank’s account with Mr Cadman and Mr Rees. Mr Cadman had paid considerable sums into the account, and he and Mr Smith had drawn out moneys on their own account, the che joes for each being equal in amount. The Natives’ share were purchased by cheques signed by Mr Cadman. Mr Smith als > signed cheques, but the cheques signed by Mr Cadman would be equally honored. Mr B. L. Knight, sawrailler, proved that he held a sub-lease of Umuatoroa from Mr Cadman oud Mr Smith, and had paid £4302 in royalties prior to 1890, ani about £SOO a yeor since. The lease included a lot of plant. Captain Russell gave evidance as to what had occurred in the last two years in Parliament in connection with native affairs. Other evidence showed that Mr Smith was on of the attesting justices to the application for restrictions on Umuatoroa in 1888. Mr Smith had telegraphed to the Native Minister on the same subject, and Mr Irvine, a then partner of Mr Smith’s, forwarded the application to the Native Minister. June 20. The Cadman-Rees action was resumed this morning. When in the Land Board in 1885 Mr liaggen said that the Maharahara block was offered, and fetched up to £l2 or £ls, Umuatoroa and Maharahara land was much of the same class. The Land Board had sine? redqced the prices of Maharahara selection but he could not say how much. He had a conversation with Mr W. C. Smith, who told him that they were selling 500 acres of Umuatoroa to different people, to pay off a mortgage of £2500 to the Union Bank. Mr J. H. Clayton deposed to applying to Mr Rose, whom he understood to be Messrs Cadman and Smith’s agent, to purchase 20 acres of Umuatoroa. Mr said he might have it at £! 2 per acre. The transaction was not yet completed. The land was the pick of the block, Mr Rees then continued his evidence. It chiefly related to the proceedings in Parliament. When he discovered that Mr Cadman and Mr Smith were engaged in acquiring native land, he wrote to the late Mr Ballauce, who promised an enquiry, but as none was held he then published the information he had got. He was cross-examined at great length, mainly to show that he was actuated by malice because Mr Smith had appeared at a public meeting at Napier and opposed Mr Rees’s scheme for dealing with native lauds through a committee. He admitted that he did not search the records until then. He was previously suspicious and Mr Smith’s attitude increased the suspicion, so he made a search. Mr Horace Baker, late Commissioner of Crown Lauds, who made the valuation at £19,000 in 1892, said that Umuatoroa was worth £4 an acre. Mr W. F. Knight, a sheep farmer, was called Cadman. He considered that apart from the timber, which was mostly cut, the value of the laud was 25s an acre, Mr L. D. Fraser, in evidence, stated that he gave assistance to get the Tahoraiti title put right, and was paid by Mr Knight. He acted for Mr Smith in purchasing the share of one Tahoraiti native in Umuatoroa, but did not succeed. He was paid by cheque signed by Messrs Cadman and Smith.