N.S.W. LAND SCANDAL

Evening Star, Issue 12630, 9 October 1905, Page 1

N.S.W. LAND SCANDAL

EVIDENCE OF CORRUPTION. A MINISTER TAKES TIP. SENSATIONAL DISCLOSURES. [From Ora Special Correspondent,] SYDNEY, September 30. At last the New South Wales Lands Department scandal is being probed to the very bottom. Tbe suspicion that has rested in the public mind all along that the exMinister of Lands (Mr W. P. Crick) has shared in the spoil abstracted by Mr Willis from applicants for land has taken the form of a sworn allegation by Mr Peter Close, a well-known Sydney agent of high standing, who introduced several clients to Mr Willis. Mr Close at first declined to say how he disposed of considerable sums of money handed to him, on the ground that he might be incriminated. Thereupon n Bill was passed through Parliament specially designed to indemnify bim, and he was thus induced to make a clean breast of the whole discreditable business. His admissions amounted to this: that in some cases, after deducting a highly satisfactory fee for himself for any trouble he was put to, the balance of the money he received was “ whacked ” ■ !«e----tween Willis and Crick. It was a cose of “ halves, partners, halves ” with them. In relation to a sum of £2OO received from a lessee named M‘Kinnon, the witness stated that ha paid one-half to Mr Crick. It was after the ex-Minister had granted an improvement lease tc M'K'n non. Asked as to whether there was spy understanding with Mr Crick that ho should receive anything, he replied: “I do not know whether you would call it an understanding. 1 understood him and he understood me. I wonld not go to him and say ‘ If you put that througn you will get so much.’ I never did that. * I suppcee he undeistood that if he put the thing through I would give him something. Ihe witness explained that he owed (_nck no money, joid although there was ro specific agreement, beforehand, the ox-Ministir knew what he was getting the Money for. D> relation to another case —that of Frr.uk Mack —witness related that he banked the money he received, but from other moneys nnder his control he paid a proportion to Crick, which amounted to one-half cf the sum originally received. This was £1,545. Me pain Crick in cash. Then in regard to sums of £IOO, £7BO, £SOO, £I,OOO, and £668 obtained from a client named Cornish, tbe witness explained that be paid them over to Willis. As to an amount of £275 13s, ho personally divided it with the ex-Minister. It was the custom of clients to hand the money over to him on the understanding that it was to be passed on whenever the desired transaction was completed. Asked as to whether the money was handed over to Willis on the gazetting of a lease, witness replied: “ Sometimes, and sometimes it was when it was granted. There were instances where it was paid on the ‘Gazette’ notice appearing, if that was insisted upon. They always thrashed that out between them.”

As to an amount of £262 10s, ho gave Willis £2lO, and kept the balance as his share. Various other items were referred to, and the witness, speaking from memory, stated that in several instances he followed the recognised plan of handing a half-share to Crick. As to some of the amounts he asked for time to. refresh his memory before saying exactly what became of the money. Mr Justice Owen: In these payments made to you from time to time was there any book kept of them—any record? —No, I never kept any book at all. When a man gave me particulars I wrote them on a sheet of paper; I kept that sheet of paper, and as the case went on wrote down how it was going. Then when it was settled I tore the paper up. You kept no records of payments? —No; 1 am only speaking from memory. During the time you have been a land agent who have been the Ministers? Who was Minister when yon first began?—Mr Crick.

Have yon bad any similar transactions with anyone eke, whether in tbe position of Minister or Acting-Minister (his locum tenons)? —No. I believe I was an agjnt when Mr Hassell was Minister.

Was any money divided?— Not a shilling. Mr Pilcher: You mean that no one else got money, so far as you were concerned ? —I mean that, yes. The only Minister yon have dealt with in this way is Mr Cricjc?—Yes. Had you, apart from these payments ' f money you have spoken of, any other financial relations with Mr Crick ir Mr W-dir? Did you owe any money to them?— None whatever. As far as Mr Crick is c meerec.l, he had money from us before Mr Clarse’v death—private money accomm.jJition. Before he was Minister?—Oh, v.-ars ago. For the last sixteen or sevenxen sears. Ever since then he always had money from us and paid it back again.

Did you owe any money to ai*n cr Willis?—No. With reference to those payments you have spoken of, were they n.aie m the Minister for Lands’ office?—Xo. I am not certain where they were paid. They were all in cash?— Yes. His Honor: Do you remember whether any of these payments were male *n tbe Minister’s room?—I don’t think so.

Where were they paid?—ln my office or at his office.

But not in the department itself, so far as you know?— No. Mr Pilcher: You remember the advances that used to be made to Mr Crick in years past by the old firm; were they always repaid? Mr Shrfnd : And by the present firm? Witness: Yes, they were always repaid. His Honor: Were they for large sums?— For as much as £I,OOO. Did Mr Crick give any security for the advances? —He gave promissory notes, and always met them when they fell due. Mr Pilcher: This was prior to his becoming Minister?— And since ho was Minister. They were pure loans, and were returned? —Yes. He gave me his bill, and I was quite satisfied with it. WILLIS EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS. It has come as a surprise to most people that even with the aid erf special legislation such sensational disclosures should have been made. The common impression was that with the departure of Willis from Australia all hope of getting to the root of the biggest political scandal that has occurred in Australia had vanished. Of course, the return of Willis as a means of further enlightenment is now looked forward to with the utmost interest. Rumors have reached Sydney that this personage has absconded from bis bail in south Africa, where be was arrested lor extradition, but the At-torney-General has given an assurance that this is not so. THE INDEMNITY BILL. It is interesting to note that tbe Indemnity Bill passed by Parliament in connection with this matter is of quite an unusual character. Mr Wade, in moving tbe second reading of the measure, acknowledged that it was unique so far as New South Wales was concerned, and, indeed, there was a precedent for it in only one or two extreme cases in other parte of the world; but a deadlock having been reached In the pursuance of the investigation, it became nfraiwart he ermfar <m ihe --rflnwraisfrioner

powers unknown in the ordinary tribunals of the country. To compel a witness to answer questions which might incriminate him, or to make him liable to prosecution for contempt of court for remaining silent, in such a circumstance was repugnant to British ideas of justice. The only statute in England which countenanced anything of the kind was the one dealing with bribery and corrupt practices. Under it witnesses were compelled to answer every question pot to them, hut it was provided that if a man made a full disclosure he might receive an indemnity against proeecnI tion. On two occasion® in Great Britain provisions of that sort had been devised in connection with Itoyal Commissions. One , case was the Parnell Commission, and the ! other the inquiry into the Sheffield riots |in 1867. The only instance on record in i the United States of America of similar legislation was in respect of the Tammany i Hall inquiry in New York. Hie Govem- ' ment, after full consideration of the position of matter.-;, had decided to use all fair and reasonable means of getting to the bottom of the business. The Bill had therefore been drafted with the following as its main provision:—“ Every person examined as a witness before the Commissioner who, in the opinion of the Commissioner, makes a full and true disclosure touching all matters in respect of which he is examined, may, in the discretion of the Commissioner, be granted a certificate signed by the Commissioner stating that the witness has, on big examination, made a full and true disclosure 88 aforesaid. If any civil or criminal proceeding is at any time thereafter instituted against any such witness in respect of any matter touching which be has been so examined, the Court having cognisance of the case shall, on proof of the certificate, stay the proceedings, and may in its discretion award to the witness such costs aa he may be put to in or by reason of the proceedings. Provided that nothing in this section shall be deemed to apply in the case of proceedings for having made a false statement on oath before the Commiss oner, or of having procured or caused -t attempted or conspired to procure or cause the making of such statement.” £52,000 PAID TO AGENTS. An examination of the evidence given before the Lands Commission dbcloses that the following fees have been paid to land agents;— Amount. £ Paid by T. M. Young to W. N. Willis 5,554 H. Strahom to Willis ... 1,500 _ H. Strahom to Willis —. _ H. Strahom to Willis „ li- Strahom to Willis. „ G. Trequair to Willis —. I,QOO „ G. Trequair to Willis „ A. 6. Barton to Willis _ AS. Barton to Willis A. S. Barton to Willis J, K. Mackay to Willis ” J. K. Mackay to Willis J, K, Mackay to Willis _ 700 „ J. K. Mackay to Wdlis —. 1,000 J. K. Mackay to Willis .„ „ T. W. Anderson to Willis ... 100 ” T. W. Anderson to R. D. Meagher ... W. Wallace to Meagher ~ W. Wallace to Meagher ... W. L. Wilcox (Edols and Co.) to Willis - - ~ 500 W. L. Wilcox to Willis W. L. Wilcox to Willis _ W. L. Wilcox to Willis I). Capel to Willis D. Capel to Willis -. C. M’Kinnon to Willis C. M’Kinnon to P. C. Close ... 200 ~ E. C. Blomfield to W. B. Wilkinson B. C. Blomfield to Willis ... ... 1,000 * Frank-Mack to Willis ... T. Cornish to P. C. Close _ 1,545 T. Cornish to Willis ~ ~ T. Cornish to Willis T. Cornish to Willis T. Cornish to Willis ... T. Cornish to P. C. Close —. 275 W. Yeomans to Willis ' W. Yeomans to Willis ~ W. Yeomans to Willis 1,500 I) Grant (Uiiliwa) to Byrne, ’ M.LA - 150 D. Grant (Uiiliwa) to Scobie, M.LA - 25 D. Grant (Xlliliwa) to dose _ 262 „ W. C. Hill to Willis ... „ 1,677 „ AD. Wiseman to Willis ~ ~ A. D. Wiseman to Willis ... _ 550 A. D. Wiseman to Willis _ _. 10 T. D. Rogers to C. Bath ... _ ICO T. Jones to H. Macdonald, M.L.A 50 T. Jones to W. B. Wilkinson _ 150 , T. Dent to Willis ... _ _. 750 „ T. Dent to Willis -. ... - Ssn J. Campbell to Willis „ Ronald Bros, to E. D. Millen ... I,OCO . E. C. Body (Campbell Bros.) to ” Close - - - 900 „ W. Dickson to Willis ... „ W. Dickson to Willis ... _. 350 ~ A Stevenson to Willis C. C. Stephen to Close „ H. V. Egan to J. T. Crane n H. V. Egan to Crane ... ... J. D. Mackay to C. Bath _. 3V5 S. C. Beveridge to Bath ._ _ 109 „ W. A. Gardiner to Bath W. A. Gardiner to Bath ... „ j. Ham to Close ~ J. Hain to Close ... J. Hain to Close ... „ J. Hain to Close ... _ ~. ... 141 J. Hain to Close J. Hain to Close ... „ 0. E. Webb to Willis .„ _ 125 „ C. Hunter to Close ... ... „ G. T. C. Davis to Willis ... „ G. T. C. Davis to Willis ... ... 500 G. H. J. Sutherland to Willis G. H. J. Sutherland to Willis ... 35 W. T. Bullock to Willis ... _ 40 „ J. R. Hall to Willis ... - ... 105 „ W. Corliss to Willis ... ... 75 „ W. G. Thompson to Meagher ._ 10(7 „ J. Peacock to Close 25J „ J. Peacock to Clo«e c ' n „ T. B. Brown to Close _ _ _ 500 ~ T. B. Brown to Close ... „ J. L. Brown to.’Close ... _ -. €OO n J. L. Brown to Close 500 • J. L. Brown to Close ... ' _ ... 25 „ W. Low to Willis ... „ _ 250 „ M. Bulger to Close „ M. Bolger to Close ._ _ „. 25 „ F. Blomfield to Close ._ Total _ „ ... ._ _. £52,073