N.S.W. LAND SCANDAL

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1571, 29 September 1905, Page 3

N.S.W. LAND SCANDAL

PETER CLOSE MAKES DISCLOSURES.

A MINISTER HALVES THE PEES. By; telegraph. Press Ass’n, Copyright Boooivod 9,44 p.m,, Sept. 28. Sydney, Sept. 28. The immnnity conferred on witnesses at the Land Commission by the passage of the amending Bill bore frnit to day, when Peter Close disolosod to whom ho paid tbo money in connection with the issue of improvement leases. After taking counsel's advioe, Close deoidcd to give the fullest information. A largo number of cases

wore brought to his mind, aud in ovorj instanoo ha doolared he paid half the hoavy fees raoeivod to Crick. Asked whether there was any understanding between Crick and himself he" said: “ I understood him, and he understood me. I would not go to him and say, ‘lf you put that through you will get so muob.’ I novßr did that. I suppose ho understood that if ho pnt the thing through I would give him something.” The money was always paid in cash. Ho had boon concerned in land transactions since 1901.

Ho oould not slate just how the understanding with Crick began, it was so long ago. Ho never kept any reoord of transactions. When doing a bit of business a memorandum of it was kept on a pieoe of paper, which was destroyed when the partionlar business wsa completed. Ho hod not divided any money with Willis. His connootion with him was something in the nature of a stakeholder. He handed the money over to him when the trans» action was completed.