BOORABIL SCANDAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2214, 29 July 1914, Page 8

BOORABIL SCANDAL

' : .-..- vr », . y: .--'■ ■,•... : -v J;: /PREMIER'S EVIDENCE NO POLITICAL PRESSURE By Telegraph—Preßs Sssociation—Oopyrielit 'V(Rec: July 28, plni.); : '■: '-'' ;\\ . -,'-' Sydney, July 28i' : - '. Before-the :-Royal Commission oil the ■ Boorabil: Estate sale, Mr. Holman, the -Premier, was examined at great length. :■';. He;;stated in ;his evidence that Mr. G. •'A. Jqries interviewed- him prior .to tie .Cabinet's consideration of the resump- !'• tion -:b{' th<3 Boorabil 1 Estate for .-'closer settlement, >and complained that he ; could uot ; got'the Hon.; J. ? L; 'Trefle .(Minister of. Lauds and Agriculture) to ■."'finally decide the matter, and as he was ■ ; going before Ins constituents lie. wanted . the matter: settled one"way. or another. > .Mry.Holman ;was_ then unaware that ihe 'proposed resumption•hadibeeh rejected 'but'was to'be reconsidered.' A ,-, ■' ' He' declared:that the Labour Party j. was opposed.to members of Parliament .acting as land agents, as it loft the door .■' open to:, abuse; in that -members' of the . party' -who ■: wore supporting. : tbe_ ■ Gov- : crnmerit might: obtain- a. 'concession, as : : the price: of a vote. '; "■' "''■ ''■'•.;' : He denied that anything of that'kind' '\had';oc,currc<l- present iristanco. ' Thcro wasvno question of political pres- : sure .on, Mr. Jones's part. ■"•■ :"■'■ '.-.:.'■ ', He-know Messrs. Jones and Osborne '■' w9ro carrying-on: a laiid agency'..-business 7and that Jones --was getting-very little ' .remuneratioii 1 out bf'tlie business; .'■•'..-' He.did notkiiow at ; the time .the vote. ■ was - Osborne ;'and '•■ Jones had-voted in;favour |; of the resumption- of. the. estate. Had he known, he would -have, considered-it a! great ':■ indiscretion. 'I.'T, ."'"' .'),,:,,:.,:""'':,;:: '■,-,, ...

;'..;•',-; Jfe'tHolmaii .added,•-.' that.'.he 'accepted :';'>:: Mr. Jones's-assurance that the Hon.' J. ':;.'.■;•■'';;,'--, L>-T*efle^ ''■ viraisTi''.Bargain , \ arid a'gbdd''bneV'•'".'.';"''!;■ : ,- ;';/■ ■';." ; ; '-. Th.<l r 'Ho.'rt. /JV:'L::.:Tr'efl6..was'6xairiirieil: /";..'>'ris,t'p; the .details of the- negotiations ■ V -Jwtli'.-rtlie; owners for-, resumption, and j: .'..' ;the" considerations led, the'-.' '.Cabinet '; ''■'. ... ; Mot to■ accept the: off er.-'- He:took' it for V' ~. granted that' Messrs'. Jones and Osborne ;■':.;," •were-acting .as land agents and. /were, 1:,.:'. being paid l by.'somebody. - ■. : v'"''.'•;. 'fj'v'.'i .Eight I '' years' ago ' he ; placed'a' cla'use Vv' 1 "'iii ; tho Labour, platformagainst' mem>Jai>vsJjprs, i of.;' l Parliament.', acting ;as,;jand. : !■.:!:-'.'■■ ugent3^;;;^ : '^-, ; -;j■■■■;•.;.'." <t:\ v;:Y:V. '' p- ; i,,' He was' - tasked--", lipw.yft came -about '':'■;..-■ • that the twb'were so acting. '.."','<- ;- ■•''•"' .'Tfjo Hoii'^L^Tfcfle,applied: "That ■ : . Is.^''matter , "fo'r : their'constituents: and !''■■•'■,.'• Iho Executive.'">■•'■-• ■.■*.-"■■' ' ~'i ,--