LAND TRANSACTIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 52

LA ND TRANSACTIONS.

THE NEW SOUTH WALES SCANDAL. A DRASTIC CHANGE. SYDNEY, August 8. 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 Carrut hers, said the Government 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 Oarruthers went on to say, to boldly attack the land laws, and to sweep them away, and substitute ,ome simnle act. Mr CarVuthers warmly favoured the establishment of a State Land Bank. SYDNEY, August 9. At a sitting of tire Lands Commission to-day evidence was given that £25

was paid to a member of the legislative Assembly, in connection with getting a lease through. Hugh McDonald, another M.L.A., admitted receiving £SO in connection with anctlier lease. He explained that the applicant was a friend, and he accepted the money as a friendly gift. One witness deposed that no land agent could oh tain an improvement lease. Only three men in S(ydney could' do so—Willis, Bath, and Close. He explained that this was during the time Messrs Crick and O’Sullivan were Ministers. Further expert evidence was given pointing to forgery of signatures on applications for land. SYDNEY, August 10. At the sitting of the Lands Commission to-day, Mr E. W. O’Sullivan 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 Mi* 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. SYDNEY, August. 8. At a large public meeting held here resolutions were passed demanding a full inquiry into the Lands Department administration. Hoskins and McNair, who were arrested on charges of conspiracy in connection with the lands inquiry, were brought up at Court to-day, and remanded for eight days. Bail was renew ed. The police are advised that W. N. Willis is under arrest at Durban, South Africa, where he arrived to-day in the steamer Commonwealth. He. was formally charged with dummying, and remanded. A detective will leave on Saturday to bring W. N. Willis back to Australia from Durban. SYDNEY, August 10. W. N. Willis’s bail has been fixed at £IOOO. Mrs 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 £IOOO, if the Grown agrees. Mrs Willis is asked to reply promptly SYDNEY, August 11. The Government has declined W. N. Willis’s offer to return from Durban under his own bond of £IOOO.