THE LAND SCANDAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 36, 11 August 1905, Page 5

THE LAND SCANDAL.

EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COMMISSION. ■. THE AKREST OF WILLIS. [press association.] SYDNEY, 10th August. At the sitting ot the Lands Commission to-day, Mr. E. W. O'Sulliva>* declared that the statement made by a witness yesterday, that only three men — Willis, Bath, and Close — were able to obtain improvement leases while he' (Mr. O'Sullivan) and Mr. Crick were Ministers, was absolutely, untrue, so far as he was concerned. Neither directly nor indirectly had he had any connection with the transactions of the persons named. W. N. Willis's bail has been fixed at £1000. Mm Willis to-day received a cable message from her husband's solicitor at Durban" (where Willis was arrested on a charge of dummying), asking her to inform the Crown that Willis wishes to return to Sydney by the steamer Geelong under his own bond of £1000, if the Crown agrees. Mrs. Willis is asked to reply promptly. The most striking feature of the censure debate last night (says the Sydney Telegraph of the 4th inst.) was an attack by Mr. Young^an ex-Aliniater for Lands, upon Mr. Crick. Mr. ¥onng, who has been Speaker of the Assembly, but who is, perhaps, best remembeied by his robust conduct in refusing to expend money when he presided over the Works Department for the Reid Government, was twitting the Labour Party on expending all their ammunition on an absent man, when th^y well knew that there were greater offenders whom they were evidently reluctant to name. Membars on the Opposition side of the House had complained that the people outside were beginning to think that all members of Parliament were tarred with the same brush. "Let each man speak for himself," said Mr. Young. "My withers are unwrung. But there are some members in this House who could not make the same statement on oath." Mr. Young became more detailed in his charge. There was no question flat Willis could not grant these improvement leases by himself, and in accepting the fees ho* obtained he must have felt confident that the leases would be granted od his application. There was only one man who could grant the leases. "Do you mean me ?" enquired Mi*. Crick. "I do," replied Mr. Young. "Then you are an old liar," retorted the member for Blayney.