A MINISTER ON TRIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2715, 28 March 1906, Page 19

A MINISTER ON TRIAL.

NEW SOUTH WALES LAND

SCANDALS

MR CRICK FOUND XOT GUILTY.

SYDNEY, March 22

The trial of Mr Click at the Criminal Couit on a charge of coiruption came to a sudden and sensational termination. Owing to the Crown caee breaking down, the judge directed the jury to return a verdict of " Not guilty," and Mr Crick was discharged.

The charge was that Mr Crick, as Minister of Lands, iinlawfully and corruptly received for his own benefit £250 from Peter Close in connection with certain land transfers. There was a strong bar on each side, Mr Sfiand (who acted as one of Close's legal advisers during the Land Commission inquiry) leading for the

Crown and Mr Reid Tor the defence. The court was crowded. Mr Reid entered a demurrer on the

grounds that the indictment* contained no offence known to the law, and that if there was an offence it was not properly desciibed, and if otherwise correct was

bad for want of definite particularsAfter argument the demurrer was overruled, and evidence called similar to that

I ! given before the Lii-L .*. .->a proT« I ing the transfer. Peter Close was placed in the box. lai. reply to Mr Reid he said the evidence | he proposed to give was similar to thafi which he gave after the Indemnity Actswas passed. Witness then detailed hia conversation with Mr Crick, wherein th& latter eaid that a lot of land agents ! getting land cases through were making a lotr of money out of it, and he did not see | why witness should not do the same, S9 I long as it was legitimate, adding that he would have nothing to do with anything shady. Coming to the payment of the £250, witness's memory appeared more defective than when before the Land Commission, and Mr Reid objected to leading questions being put to him. The witness said he handed Mr Crick money, and told him to put it in his pocket, but nothing was said as to what the money is for. No mention was made of a land case. Witness owed Mr Crick no money, and ifc was not a, loan or gift. It was his own money, and he did what he liked with it. He had monetary transactions with Mi? Crick extending over many, years. He ; often paid him large sums. He denied that there was an understanding with; Mr Crick that he should act as land agent and. share tlie profits with Mr Crick.

This closed the Crown case. Mr Shand said that in face of Close's evidence he could not support the indictment.

The itlry, by direction of the judge, returned a verdict of " Not guilty."