TOURIST ADVERTISING.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 73, 27 March 1920, Page 13

TOURIST ADVERTISING.

. * ■ ALLEGED SECRET COBEMHSIOK TWO MEN CHARGED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. Before Mr. E. Page, 8.M., to-day, a ease was brought by the police under the Secret Commissions Act, when Frank Montagu Pearn, traveller, was charged that he did corruptly give to an agent of the Crown in respect of business of the Department of Tourist and Health ..Resorts the gift of a. sum of £3 as a reward for having done an act in relation to the business of the Crown, to wit the act of procuring by the said Departjment of an advertisement in the periodiI cal publication, " Wheeling." Arthur {Reel Thomas, company manager, was charged with aiding and abetting the commission by F. M. Pearn of an offence against section 3 of the Secret Commissions Act by giving the agent the sum of £3. Mr. Maeassey, who appeared for the Crown, said the defendant was employed as a canvasser for the publication "Wheeling." He saw an agent at the Tourist office, and secured an advertisement costing £30. After the advertisement had been arranged for Pearn saw the agent in the street *nd offered him the money, which he refused to take. The agent was advertising clerk in the Tourist Department. Later Pearn saw the agent and gave him an envelop* which contained three £-1 notes. The agent sent back the money later on by cheque. Thomas C. R. Cox said he was employed as managing editor of "Wheeling" until the first week in November ;last, when he resigned. Some time in October Pearn came into the office and asked for a plain envelope, which was given to him. Then Pearn rang up the agent at the tourist office and asked the latter to meet him in a quarter of an hour. Some time later -Pearn told witness that he gave the agent some money, which he was glad to receive. Before the Public Service CommiseMMient, who held an investigation, Pearn had said that the money was a present from Thomas and witness to the agent. To Mr. Myers (defendant's counsel): As far as witness was aware, Pearn had not received a commission on advertisements. Prior fo this Pearn ivas working on a salary. Mr. Myers, for the defendant, said before there could be an offence the person paying the money must have done bo corruptly. To constitute an offence there must have been payment about the time the contract was made, or there must have been an agreement or offer before the cor/tract was made to make a payment afterwards; payment or promise of payment mugt be in the nature of a reward. The contract for the advertisement was not made by Pearn, and the agent. The contract was fixed by Mr. Wilson, head of the Department, and there was no payment or any suggestion of payment when the oontract was mad*. Courrsei concluded by claiming . that the information should be dismissed. The Magistrate reserved his decision. The case against Thorn** was adjourned sine die.