THE MOKAU TRANSACTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10413, 6 September 1911, Page 5

THE MOKAU TRANSACTION.

(By, Telegraph—Press Association.) . ._ WJSEiEJNOTON, The' Mokau enquiry was corotiHiiued; tihis- morning witih- the examination of Mr Hardy, a 'Surveyor. He was examined with regard to Mr Bell's I statement that he was prevented from attending a meeting of assembled owners. > Witness - read fcbim BaU,' saying he (Bell) would be greatly relieved if hi® attendance at tihe meeting wias unnecessary. He laier wired.;, •that he would not attend the meet-; ings. ~■'■■ Wifeiess was against tflie sal© of. the block. He was asked to take shares in the Company being formed' in Febiruary to work tihe coal on the next; block to Mfokiau, and to acquire Moi Jkau< if the primary venture was snicoeissM. He refused. He believed the'.oatodtal of. the Company was £iOOJOOO. The native® got £25,000 im. and, £2500 in shares for the block. The last meeting of owners unanimouslyfavoured tihe sale. To Sir James Carroll: The price i paid for the block was a very fair one. He would not have given half the amount. To \ Mr Ngata: He bad no oonumiunication with any of the members of the Government in the matter. To Mr Seddon.— The coal prospects on the Mokau block were, ecomoanically speaking, not worth any(thing. The lime deposits were poor. He bad never beard of gold on the iblxxak. He was considerably out of pocket over the part he bad played. The Cbmimiftitee adjourned until 10.30 to-anomrow.