THE MOKAU INQUIRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3316, 7 September 1911, Page 5

THE MOKAU INQUIRY.

FURTHER SITTING OF COMMITTEE MR. R. McNAB GIVES EVIDENCE. CPKR PRESS ASSOCIATION. 3 WELLINGTON, Sept. 6. At the Mokau inquiry Committee the cross-examination of Mr. Hardy was continued. To Mr. Dive witness said that although lie thought tiie land not worth £25,000 he did not advise the Natives to sell as his advice had not been asked. The coal on the block was at a bad level, and witness' thought it could not be worked economically. To Mi\ Herries: If the Natives could have raised £BOO to carry cn, witness did not think they would have sold the block.

To Mr. Jennings: Prior to the sale, the Natives were receiving Is 4d per acre for the lease of the land. The Native owners had other lands besides this block. When witness inspected the block lie noticed that the only suitable localities for homesteads were already taken up, under 27 years’ leases, and the company could not shift these lessees. The ooening of the block would be a fine thing for Te Kuiti and neighbouring places. Exclusive of sub-let land and other encumbrances, the block was worth, on an average, not more than £1 per acre. To Mr. Massey: Witness had never heard of any negotiations with the Natives by the Government for the purchase of the block. The area of the Mangapapa block, which cm the other side of the river to the Mokau block, was 14,000 acres.

Mr. R. McNab, who was called, said lie wished to remove inference made by Mr. Massey that he (Mr. McNab) had acted with Sir J. G. Findlay and Sir J Carroll in connection with the purchase of the block. The first knowledge lie' had of he matter was through an agent, who called on him and asked him to take shares in a. company to be formed to acquire the block. He agreed to take 1000 shares in the company, the capital of which was £IOO,OOO. Tho price to be paid for the block for the freehold was £85,000, and for leasehold £05,000. His company bought from the Mason, Chambers Co., being registered on March Bth. No one had ever •been, asked by the company to represent them at. meetings of the Natives. He had never had a communication with any members of the Ministry in the matter.

To How. A. T. Ngata : The company had no dealings with Mr. Hermann Lewis. To. Mr. Massey: The company was registered on March 18th. Lewis got confirmation from the Land Board on March 22nd. The company had come to no decision in regard to working, the minerals on the block. To Mr Jennings: Surveyors had been working for the past three months on the land, and the company intended quitting the land at. once.