N.S. WALES LAND COMMISSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 29

N.S. WALES LAND COMMISSION.

ARREST OF WILLIS.

SYDNEY, June 21

• The Minister of Lands, questioned in the House "whether Willis, the principal witness before the Land Commission, had left for London, replied that the police authorities in Adelaide had telegraphed that one of the principal witnesses, accompanied, by a man servant, was on board the steamer bound for London. The Government is considering what action can be taken.

June 22.

The Minister of Lands, after consultation vritla. Mr Justice Owea and the Crown Law Officers, states that there are no legal means to detain Mr Willis in the Commonwealth. A wire from Melbourne states that Mr Willis left for London by the Bteamer Geelong. He made , no secret of his departure, and requested the company to forward an ordinary postcard informing his friends of the arrival of the vessel at different ports and to Mrs Willis at RandtWick.

June 23.

Mr Carruthers, the State Premier, gave 'evidence before the Land Commission. He said his firm acted professionally in the Biros case in the Appeal Land Court. He never saw Willis in the case at all. He knew nothing whatever about the Myall Greek case. He was assured by his partner that the firm had not been associated in any of the cases mentioned before the commission except the Sims case. Hie partner had acted on. behalf of the firm in many matters for Willis and his wife, but any matters that came before the commission had been sent away from their office. Referring to Mr Gardiner's charges, he said a mere statement that the land was good" was nothing. Climatical conditions had to be considered. The statement that a Minister had done wrong in granting that class of land as an improvement lease "was not convincing.

"At the instance of Mr John Haynes, 'ex-member of the Assembly, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Willis iota a charge of fraud under the Crown jLands Act.

ALBANY, June 24. Mr Willis was arrested aboard the steamer Geelong. He told a press representative that the case against him was trumped up to perform the duty of drawing a red herring across' the track. It jras, no doubt, designed by a clique in

Sydney to draw public attention from important information which was expected to come out at the sitting of the Lands CommissioD, and which would incriminate many prominent people in New South Wales.

Willis has been remanded for eight days, pending the arrival of the original warrant. He was allowed bail in £1100.