LAND SALE SCANDAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2212, 27 July 1914, Page 5

LAND SALE SCANDAL

EVIDENCE BEFORE THE ROYAL ' • • ,•■•.•• '. ; —'i • .''".' ."'' '.'J By Telegraph—Press Aeration—OoDyrieht v Sydney, July 25. ..'■■] Tho Boorabil Commission has opened. The evidence of tho agents for the -. , : sale of the property to the''Government for closer settlement purposes was to the effect that when it .appeared likely I that the sale, would not go through, j Messrs. Osborne and Jones were ap- ':■'■ preached, tho. idea, being that in their positions as a member and an ex-mem-ber of Parliament, they would have a ~. better chance of pushing the sale forward than land agents, who were for* ■;-; bidden to interview the Lauds Departme'nt. A certain commission was pro- j raised them: ..Messrs. Osborne and. ' | Jones had, examined the detailed terms i of the agreement' during their inter- • views with-Minister's! arid others. .. ,:- : '\ Mr) Jones, ,ih reply to a question by-: • j the Commissioner (Mr, Justice Pring) • as to whether it was his influence that .-;..; had been bought,"said: "It may be that, or it may be'access'to Ministers-that . ] we had." . .^: •■ .-■■'■ ':•■■ ■" ■■':• .';-. (.■ Mr.'Osborne, m reply to a question, ;. -,' said he did not think they had any mora • < .■ influence or "pull," so far as the Gov- ? erriment was concerned, than any other ,i reputable citizen. Mr. 'Osborne admitted that it was an indiscreet; thing to ;.; give his vote "in Parliament on a matter I where ho was pecuniarily interested, but ; he was inexperienced.. •... '(>■:-, , ; ;> .;..., . ; ., ' Recently Mr. Osborne, a memher of the . Legislative' Assembly, and Mr. G. A. i Jones, an e'i-niember,- sued v,the agent for the sale'of the Boorabil'Estate : to .- tho ■-. Government for. closer settlement s purposes for .£2OO commission. The verdict was in plaintiff's favour. ' As a result of • Press' criticisms-regarding- legislators acting .as agents, Cabinet decided to appoint a Royal Commission of Inquiry. The 'Commissioner was given the powers of a Supremo Court Judg.e ■ j •-.'. ' • \