THE MOKAU TRANSACTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10415, 8 September 1911, Page 6

THE MOKAU TRANSACTION.

By Telegraph — Press Association. | WELLINGTONvtLast Night, i The Mokau Committee met to-day. | Frank Rattenburg, storekeeper, Tongaporutu, said his wife and other relatives were interested in the Mokau block. Witness was, present at each meeting of owners, at the second meeting of whom about 150 owners were present. Nearly all opposed the sale to Lewis, and they instructed Hardy to that effect, and paid his expenses to Auckland to investigate, but they had not heard from Hardy since. Until'the payment of the money for the block, witness and others were very much dissatisfied with Hardy's conduct. To Sir James Carroll: Some of the owners objected to the sale on the ground that the lease was not valid. •Witness knew four of the owners who had not been .paid. Sections of the owners still opposed the sale even after Hardy had been unsuccessful in • Ms mission to raise money to contest the lease. A Te Kuiti owner wanted to sell, but the Mokau Natives objected. The greater .part of ithe block was worth 25s to 30s an acre if the leases were inValid, but with the leases he would say it was only worth 10s an acre. Te Ore Waitihi was the next wit- . ness. He said he .and several others, after being advised to sell, refused to do so, and .signed a document stating that they intended to hold the land but would hand over for sale eight hundred acres to clear off the costs of the action, and to pay agents and liabilities on the block. Witness throughout had refused to sign .an agreement to sell the whole block. Witness was one of the signatories to the original lease of the block to Jones. Regarding the sale, witness, thought that if he objected to the sale he could have his area cut out, and could keep it himself. Hardy appeared for witness at the sale negotiations, with written instructions to oppose the the sale. When the instructions came back from Te Kuiti, they placed the money before the owners, and told them the land had been sold, and they should accept the money as. they might not get it again. They were very angry at their agents' aotion.