Extradition of Willis.

Thames Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 10493, 9 May 1906, Page 2

Extradition of Willis.

SOME INTEKSSTI-NG- DETAILS'.

In connection with the extradition of W. N. Willis, who is alleged to be implicated in":illegal iand ; fransaetions in Neiw South Wales, and who was arrested at, Durban, at; is interesting to note that as I. an outoomei of the evidence given/ last year before the Commission of Inquiry intol the administrationi and transactions of the New South Wales Department of Lands, warrants were issued in August charging William Nicholas Willis, George McN'air, and Bernard- Hoskins with, conspiracy. MoNair and Hfoskins were -promptly arrested, but when the police sought Willis it was foundi that he hadi flown—to. South Africa. An urgent message was sent to-Durban— the destination of the steamer Comnionwealth, on which! Willis was discovered to bei—and when the vessel reached) the Natal port Willis, was placed under arrest. Extradition, was granted! by the''Magistrate there, but an .appeal ,by Willis was upheld, and it appeared that Natal was.' legally constituted a, haven for fugitives from justicel. However, owing to communications ibetween the authorities in New .South Wales and) the Grown law officers in Natal, Willis was. re-arrest-ed early in March!, and extradition* proceedings again "instituted. A, second appeal was made by Willis, and it is this application, that has now been refused. . ■ - : . -.':-..

The charge against- Willis, MoNair, and Hoskins is that .they unlawfully conspired 1 together to make use of 'one J. B. Sttsphensi toi make conditional purchases of ceo-tain, land in the district 9^,'Coonanible, otherwise than for the u3a, benefit and. advantage of Stephens. Evidence given before: the Land 'Commission snowed that for years the name: of Willis had been one to conjure with in connection! with Crown lands transactions, 7 mud that tiWere was little prospect of success in applications for State lands) without the assistance of—and the payment of _. substantial fees toi—the same Willis.^ Indeed, one witness before the Commission said, he heard "Go-to Willis" whistled everywhere.