23 September 2008. Email, rossbaker@austarnet.com.au

Dr David Collins, QC,
Solicitor General,
Crown Law Office,
P.O.Box 2858,
Wellington,
New Zealand,

Dear Sir,

Two Official Information Act Requests
Your Ref; OIA353/1

We have just received the attached letter (Attachment1) from Cameron Tyson, Associate Crown Counsel dated the 22 September 2008 in response to our two Official Information Act Request to the Crown Law Office.

Either his letter is another cover up by the Crown Law Office or the documents relating to the acquisition of Mr Titford’s properties have be fraudulently destroyed by those involved at the time for very obvious reasons.

I am amazed when Cameron Tyson states, “Again this is not surprising, as the drafting of the sale agreement does not appear to have been undertaken by our office”. From the number of memos and letter we have on file, obtained under the Official Information Act, we will not accept Cameron Tyson could not find files relating to this transaction as most of the memos, letter and documentation we hold are on Crown Law Office letterheads. Unless they have been destroyed, which would force you to hold a Judicial Review into the Crown Law Office staff who handled these documents at the time, then destroyed them.

Sir, we have many copies of memos, letters and documents showing the Crown Law Office drafted the Sale Agreement, Deeds and Memorandum of Transfer, although I believe the Memorandum of Transfer was later amended by Rachel Taylor of Phillip Fox who refused copies of the Agreements etc to Mr Titford and his lawyer, Clive Jackson on the 9/2/1996. Phillip Fox completed the transaction on behalf of the Office of Treaty Settlement so should/would have known the documents had been “tampered with”, the only feasible reason to refuse Mr Titford copies of his fully executed Agreement.

I have attached two such letters, both dated the 11 December 1995 from Helen Aikman, Crown Counsel, Crown Law Office. See Attachment 2 & 3. Helen Aikman specifically mentions in her letter (Attachment 2a, Clause 5) “We are currently working on finalising these documents and would be grateful if you would indicate the latest time (Australian) by which you will need them”.

As for Clause 16, which releases the National Bank from any liabilities to the vendor, Helen Aikman specifically mentions this in her letter (Attachment 3, Clause 4) dated the 11 December 1995 to Mr Sam Samec, the Crown’s appointed, instructed and paid Notary Public Lawyer. There would definitely have been correspondence between the National Bank, the Crown and the Crown Law Office for this clause to be inserted, unless it has also been destroyed.

As it has been determined the Crown drafted these documents, they would have “itemised accounts” from, the National Bank of New Zealand, Wynyard Wood Solicitors, Legal Services and Accident Compensation to justify charging these amounts against Mr Titford. Without these “itemised accounts”, Mr Titford must be reimbursed for unaccountable monies deducted by the Crown Law Office. We have documents showing the National Bank credited the Crown $200,000, which was not passed on to Mr Titford, plus other accounts Mr Titford should not have been responsible for – WHY, it was his money!!!

It is also interesting to note, Mr Tyson’s constant remarks that the Crown Law Office was only working for their client but when we examine the memos and letters etc between the Crown Law Office and the Office of Treaty Settlements officials, they were, “as thick as thieves” to acquire Mr Titford’s properties at any cost!!

The Crown Law Office even sent a memo on the 12 December 1995 to the Office of Treaty Settlement amending the media release stating, “Don’t push willing buyer/seller” with an amended copy of the release. This was sent to Mary Anne Thompson at the Office of Treaty Settlements who has recently been found, while Director of the Immigration Department, guilty of “tampering with” documents to allow her family and friends into New Zealand and falsifying her credentials.

There is no denying with the many memos, letters and documents we have on file, people within the Crown Law Office and the Office of Treaty Settlements “tampered with” the documents to acquire Mr Titford’s properties at Maunganui Bluff. From Mr Tyson’s letter, they may have destroyed these documents from the Crown Law Office files. Luckily they could not destroy our files, although Mr Titford’s house was destroyed by fire for this sole purpose but he was one step ahead, he had copies.

Sir, our concern is, the Crown is about to return land in the Te Roroa Settlement Bill that the documents show, it does not “legally” own. Until there is a Judicial Review into the handling of the documents by the Crown’s officials, this claim should not proceed. Once the land is returned and it is found Crown official “tampered with” the documents to acquire Mr Titford’s properties, the Crown Law Office has a major problem.

I believe the Te Roroa Settlement Bill could be passed tonight.

Yours sincerely,

Ross Baker.

Researcher, One New Zealand Foundation Inc.

cc. Webmaster, www.onenzfoundation.co.nz.