AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8102, 23 March 1906, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

THE LANDS SCANDAL. CHARGE AGAINST CRICK. SENSATIONAL TERMINATION. ACCUSED DISCHARGED. Received March £22, 101.0 p.m. SYDNEY, March 22. The.jtrial of Mr W. P. Criok, exMinister of Lands, at tbe Central Criminal Court, today, on a charge of o,orruption. came to a sudden and sensational termination owing to the oase for the Crown breaking down. The judge directed the jury to return a verdict of "Not Guilty." Thia they did, and Mr Crick was discharged. FURTHER PARTICULARS. Received March 22, 11.13 p.m.^'J^ SYDNEY, Maroh"227"! The charge was that Criok, as Minister of Lands, bad unlawfully and oorrupily received for his own benefit, £250 from Peter Close, in conneotion with a certain land trans-aii-gagaa msaa jsmmsm IHI. wEaijEHsria wrorw»c>BHW Mr Reid, for tbe defence, entered a demurrer, on the ground that the indictment contained no offence known to law. That if it was an offence it was not properly described, and if otherwise oorreot, was bad for the want of definite particulars. After argument the demurrer was ovenuled. Peter CI se detailed the conversation with Criok, wherein the latter said a lot of land agents were getting land cases through, and making a lok of money out of it, and he did not see why witness should not do the same as long as it was legitimate, adding he would have nothing to do with anything shady. Coming to the payment of the £250, witness' memory appeared more defective than when before the Lands Commission. Witness said he handed Criok the money, and told him to put it In his pocket, but nothing was said as to what it was for. No mention was made land case. Wififtess owed Crick no money, and it was not a loan or gift. It was bis own money, and he did what he liked with it. He had monetary transactions with Crick extending over many years, and often paid him large sums. He denied that there was an understanding with Crick that he should act as land agent, and share the profits with Criok. This closed the case for the Orowu. Mr Shand, Crown Prosecutor, said that, on the faoe of Close's evidence, he oould not support the indictory. The jury, therefore, at the direction of the Jadge, returned a verdict of "Not Guilty."