MIND MADE UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 187, 9 August 1932, Page 7

MIND MADE UP.

Judge Refuses to Believe Tin Hare Promoter. INQUIRY CONTINUED. (Keccived 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. At the hearing of the Royal Commission under Mr. Justice Halse Rogers, appointed by the Stevens Government to investigate allegations regarding tin hare and fruit machine licenses, F. C'owdroy, recalled, said that since the Royal Commission was mooted Frederick ("Judge") Swindell had suggested that witness should say he had lost £1000 at the races, in order to account for the £1000 he had given to Swindell in connection with the license sought for the Wollongong Coursing Company.

When witness pointed out that this was unsatisfactory Swindell said: "Well, if you say you gave it to me I shall deny it." Cowdroy added that the money he gave Swindell, he understood, was going past liim to somebody else.

Counsel for Swindell a6ked witness whether an impartial hearer was likely to believe him or Swindell in regard to this matter.

The Commissioner: I have said I do not believe Swindell's story of this transaction.

Counsel: I submit that is a most pre mature statement.

The Commissioner: Things done in secret usually arc difficult to corroborate.

The hearing was further adjourned

Mr. J. T. Lang has written to Mr. Justice Halse Rogers requesting his Honor to apply to the Governor for an extension of the period of the commission to permit of an inquiry into the payment of £1800 to G. R. Barry, for certain documentary evidence. Mr. Lang describes this payment as having been made to besmirch the characters of public men.

Judge Halse Rogers replied that the inquiry suggested by Mr. Lang was beyond the terms of his commission.

The Premier, Mr. B. S. Stevens, made a statement replying to Mr. Lang's letter and declaring that it contains a false suggestion. Mr. Stevens says that the payment for the documents was made when Mr. Lang was Premier, that Barry refused to produce them unless he was paid for them and that the considerations which determined their purchase were whether they should be secured for the information of the general public, or allowed to get into the hands of those whose interest it was that they should be destroyed.

G. R. Barry explained in the witness box on August 2, that the arrangement to pay him £2000 came from Mr. Delbridge, of the Premier's office, last March, after the tin hare scandals had been mentioned in Parliament by the then leader of the Opposition, Mr. B. S. Stevens. He said he had been treated badly by those whom he had sought to assist, and he had undertaken to expose "the whole outfit" by making a statutory declaration and providing documents about what was happening. Witness said he told Mr. J. Tully, Minister of Lands in the Lang Government, of his intentions, and Tully asked to be kept out of the disclosure. He duly made the declaration, and received £1800 from Delbridge "for information supplied," and the present Premier, Mr. Stevens, thus became possessed of what was going on behind the scenes.