N.S.W. Ikm REVELATIONS. «,

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 34, 9 August 1905, Page 5

N.S.W. Ikm REVELATIONS. «,

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. A DRASTIC CHANGE INTENDED. j , W. N.WILLIS RE-ABRESTED. [PBESS ASSOCIATION.] J- , SYDNEY, Bth August. Speaking to-day at the opening of "the annual conference of the Farmers' and Settlers' Association — the report of which strongly urges reform in lands administration — the Premier, Mr. Carruthers, said the Govenment intended to make a drastic change. A Bill had been prepared, said the Premier, embodying the policy of appointing three Commissioners. The duty of the Commissioners would be the administration of the Lands Department, subject to the Minister only as regards matters of policy ■ At the end of two years the Commissioners^ were to submit a report embodying recommendations for reform. It would be the duty of the Commissioners, Mr. Carruthers went on to say, to boldly attack the land laws, and to sweep them away, and substihite some simple act. Mr. Carruthers warmly favoured the establishment of a State Land Bank. Hoskins and M'Nair, who were arrested on charges of conspiracy in connection with the lands enquiry, were brought up at Court to-day, and remanded for eight days. Bail was renewed. The police are advised that W. N. Willis is under arrest at Durban, South Africa, where he arrived to-day in tho steamer Commonwealth. He was formally charged with dummying, and remanded, With the resumption of .the New South Wales Lands Commission (writes the Bulletin) there has been unfolded another series of cases all having a strong family resemblance to those the records of whioh were summarised in the Bulletin when the Commission adjourned for its winter vacation. A pastoralist wished to get land on improvement lease ; or, having it on that tenure, wished for a reduction of the rent. He had 'heard that Mr. Willis was the man to see. He saw Mr. AVillia — sometimes through an intermediary — agreed to pay an enormous fee, and everything was feed up. Perhaps the most injurious suggestion of the week against the Land's Department was rua-de by an up-country land agent-^the sort of agent who worked on the lines of charging a few guineas for actual business done. Ho swore that in cases when he had made applications to the Lands Department on behalf of clients, those clients promptly received ciroulars from Mr. Willis touting for their business ; and he suggested that it was only through the Lands Department that Mr. Willis could have got knowledge of the faot that they were in need of land agency services. The Commission should probe this to the bottom. It may be disclosed that tho Lands Department actually was agent in securing work for land agent Willis. When the Commission adjourned, evidence had been given that Mr. Willis's earnings, in the transactions investigated, were £23,484 ss. From the evidence given to Friday last the Willis earnings accoupt stands : — Brought forward (see Bulletin 30/7/-5) ... £23,484 5 0 From Capel Bros., Gorian 750 0 0 „ R C. Bloomfield, Bouralong ... 1,500 0 0 „ Mack and Austin, Narromine (through Mr. Close) ... 1,545 11 3 „ Thos. Corniah £880 (through Mr. Close), £1500, £668 85... 3,048 8 0 „ Alton Yeomans (Wyabray) ... " ... 3,100 0 0 „ Richard Yeomana ... 1,500 0 0 £34,928 4 3 A notable sign, by tho way, of the sincerity of the New South Wales Government's dosiro to have a full enquiry into the scandals was the inclusion in the Bill for extending the powers of the Commission of Enquiry of a> clause gagging the press as regards .any comment on the proceedings of the Commission. At tho instance of Mr. Holman. this, fortunately, was rejected, and the Government was forced to submit to the insertion of a clause in which reasonable newspaper comment was expressly authorised.