AN AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12566, 1 August 1905, Page 5

AN AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT.

«, i— United Press Association—Copyright. Received July 31, 10.20 p.m. SYDNEY, July 31. - Mr. Melville made a statement before th« Lands Commission, in which he ad-mitf-ed that ho offered Mr. Haynes £500 net to stop the legal proceedings, but to stop the venomous newspaper attacks which were causing Mrs. Willis and her family much distress. He detailed interviews he had had with Haynes, who said he was sorry fo<r Mrs. Willis. He said she mu-st not take it all as against Willis He didn't care two-pence for him. He had no feeling against him, but wished to get at .Messrs Caimilthers ant' A slut on, Willis was simply nothing; it was the other fellows who were the pious hypocrits, and he ■ would bring them down. Haynes asked him how much Willis would stand. Melville said he thought about £500. Haynes said "get, the money and I'll drop Willis out." Hay lies visited witness at his pr;vate residence and urged him to communicate with Willis, as the money would be useful to him just now. Melville showed great reluctance to produce his telegram to Willis, but ultimately did so. On the face of it it does seem to indicate that money was to stop the newspaper attacks. Haynes, re-called, emphatically asserted that money fl-as offered to stop the legal proceedings. He resisted Melville in the hope of getting possession of the ■telegram. The Full Court fined the publisher of the "Newsletter" £50 and costs for commenting on Willis while the action by the the latter for libel against the paper was pending.