GOVERNMENT LAND PURCHASES.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13531, 27 July 1914, Page 5

GOVERNMENT LAND PURCHASES.

POLITICIANS AS AGENI3

NEW SOUTH WALES INQUIRY

Sydney, July 25. , The Boorabil Land Purchase Commission has opened.

The evidence of the agents for the sale of the property to the Government for closer settlement purposes was to the effect that when it appeared" likely that the sale would not go through Messrs. Osborne and Jones were approached, the idea being that in their positions as member and ex-member, they would have better access for pushu ing the sale forward than land agents, who were forbidden to interview the Lands Department. A certain commission wa,s promised them,.'.., , .........

Messrs. Osborne and Jones, examine ed, detailed the terms of the agreement, and their interviews with Ministers and others. •

Mr. Jones, in. reply to the Commissioner's question as to whether it was his influence that was bought, said :— "It may be that cr ib may be the access to Ministers that we had."

Mr, Osborne, in reply to the same question, said they were not bought, and they had no more influence or pull, as far as the Government was concerned, than any other reputable citizens.

' Mr. Osborne admitted that it was an indiscreet thing to give a vote in Parliament on a matter in which he was pecuniarily interested; but he was inexperienced.