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1911. NEW ZEALAND.

MOKAU-MOHAKATINO BLOCK (STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF THE).

Laid on the Table by Leave.

K\traet linivi Lyttelton Times (Christchuich), Ota go Daily Times (Dunedin), Evening Post (Wellington), Dominion (Wellington), of 20th July, 1911.] (By Telegraph. -Pfesa Association.-) [Mr. Mas.sky's Addrkss at Auckland, ox IDtii .Iri.Y. 1011.] . . . . Mr. Massey then spoke at length on the Mokau lands case. He said the lawyers who acted fur the individual who owned the mortgage and who was purchasing from the Natives were Findlay, Dalziell, & Co.; the gentleman who signed the Order in Council was Sir James Carroll, Acting L'rime Minister; and the chairman of the syndicate which secured the land was an ex Ministei of Lands wiili strong leasehold proclivities- Mr. R. McNab. He (Mr. Massey) wanted to see the Native lands occupied, Inn whai hi' wanted to know was, why was not sufficient land reserved for tlie Native people] and why did no< the Government insist mi that sale being under the limitation clause, with the optional tenure, su thai no man dould have secured men than the limit .' Or why did not the Goyernmeni purchase the land and utilize it for European settlers.' He was going to call for an inquiry in the House of Representatives. He wanted t,, know why 50,000 acres had been allowed t" pass into the Sands of a gang "I speculators instead of the hands of hona fide settlers. "Sir James Carroll says." added .Mr. Vfassey, " that 1 know nothing of Native lands." Thank God, 1 do nut know as much as he iK.es. I never trafficked in an acre, of Native land, nor has any member o* the Opposition, but I know quite , a number on the Government side who have been interested in Native lands. lam going to foree the tiling to a division. [Extract from the New Zealand Herald, Thursday, 20th July, 1911.] A Deal in M.\ori Land.—The Mokau Estate.—A Big Purchase. — Where was thi. Limitation Clause? — Mr. Mas set skeks an Inquiry. During his reference to the Native-land question at his meeting last night, Mr. W. F. Mnssey dealt with some recent transactions in connection with the famous Mokftli Estate. He described the block as being about 50,000 acres, fairly -rood paMofal land, and a lot of it fit for dairying. Upon it were coal, and limestone; it had a large water frontage to a navigable river. It was leased to a European, and he went Home to raise money to work the estate. While there hi' got into financial difficulties. There was a covenant in the lease compelling him to spend at least .£3,000 a year on the development of the land, but as time went mi his difficulties increased, he did not comply with that covenant, and at last lie mortgaged his interest in the estate and oiit. A Royal Commission, consisting of Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice), Mr. Jackson Palmer (Chief Judge of the Native Land Court), was set up. considered the conditions of the lease, and found it had not been complied with. Therefore they found it void, so that the land again became Native land. They recommended the Government to deal with it, and to set apart a part of it for the Native owners and open the rest for settlement. But the interest of the mortgagees in the estate was sold in Wellington for a nominal sum, and the individual who purchased it set to work to approach the congregated Native owners, and offered them n price, which they declined.

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