PAPUA TIMBER LEASES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 78, 12 January 1949, Page 4

PAPUA TIMBER LEASES

INQUIRY BY ROYAL COMMISSION CANBERRA, January 11. The Federal Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) to-day announced the terms of reference for the Royal Commission which has been appointed at the request of the Minister of External Territories (Mr E. J. Ward) to investigate allegations against liis integrity made during the trials in Sydney of John S. Garden and others. The terms contained in the commission issued to Mr Justice Ligertwood, as commissioner, authorise him to inquire into and report upon the following matters: (1) What were the real transactions involved between Raymond Parer, Harcourt Garden, Edward Farrell and John Smith Garden, or any of them, and Hancock and Gore, Ltd., or any of its directors, employees or legal representatives in relation to the timber rights in the territory now known as Papua-New Guinea?

(2) Whether Edivard John Ward, as Minister of External Territories, was a party to any of the transactions above mentioned?

(3) Whether the Minister signed or authorised John Smith Garden to sign any notification that the grant to Raymond Parer of any timber licence in the Bulolo valley had been or would be approved by the Minister? (4) Whether the Minister (a) was promised any financial benefit in relation to any of the transactions, or (b) received either directly or indirectly any financial benefit® in relation to any of the transactions? (5) Whether the Minister (a) is or was financially interested, either directly or indirectly, in Sydney Pincombe Proprietary, Ltd., or (b) has received, either directly or indirectly, any financial benefit from that company? t .