260 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



" Behold, here I am, witness against me, before the Lord, and 

 before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose ass have I 

 taken ? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I aggressed ? or 

 of whose hand have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes 

 therewith? and I will return it." 



From this sanctimonious standpoint he looked down reproach- 

 fully upon all who did not pay prompt cash, and upon one occasion 

 he electrified the Court by denouncing Mr. Croke, the Crown Pro- 

 secutor, for having given what he was pleased to call an "accom- 

 modation bill ". It was not a matter properly before the Court, but 

 it came out in evidence that, in purchasing an allotment of land from 

 Captain Lonsdale, Mr. Croke had given a bill for part of the pur- 

 chase-money, which bill had been duly paid at maturity. Mr. 

 Croke very properly resented his private affairs being canvassed in 

 public, but the Judge interrupted him, and declared his surprise, 

 after what he had said from the bench about accommodation bills, 

 that any officer of his Court should have resorted to them. He re- 

 fused to listen to any explanation, and peremptorily threatened to 

 order him into custody if he did not behave himself ! The outrage 

 was so flagrant that when Mr. Croke rose and left the Court the 

 whole of the Bar, which included three men afterwards celebrated 

 as judges Messrs. Stawell, Barry and Williams followed him, 

 necessitating the adjournment of the Court. 



With the Honorary Magistrates Mr. Willis was always em- 

 broiled, frequently threatening to commit them for supposititious 

 contempt, and occasionally, as in the case of Mr. J. B. Were, exer- 

 cising that power vindictively. His persistently insulting manner 

 to Mr. James Simpson, the Police Magistrate, one of the most 

 generally esteemed men in the district, enforced his resignation. 



In the unexciting atmosphere of the Equity Court the Judge's 

 abilities would have made him a reputation, but his self-importance, 

 his restless aggressiveness and his outbursts of irritability made 

 him the terror of the Bar and the secret laughing-stock of disin- 

 terested onlookers. More than one barrister of good standing was 

 practically driven out of the practice of his profession during the 

 reign of this eccentric Judge, and before he had completed two 

 years of office he was at loggerheads with every one, from the 



