BROKE THE LAW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 261, 3 November 1932, Page 7

BROKE THE LAW.

LANG GOVERNMENT.

TIN HARE LICENSES. Commission Finds Evidences Of Bribery. FALSE SWEARING PREVALENT. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, thie day. The report of the Royal Commissioner, Mr. Justice Halse Rogers, who inquired into greyhound racing and fruit machines was tabled in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly last evening by the Premier, Mi'. B. S. Stevens. The commissioner found that money had passed in relation both to tin hares and fruit machines, but he could not say definitely to whom. The commissioner said that on reconsideration of the whole of the evidence it would be invidious to select cases for prosecution. It was apparent in connection with tin hares and fruit machines that many of the witnesses had something they wished to conceal and were willing to go to any length in the witness box to achieve their purpose. But for the existence of contemporary documents the commissioner's quest for truth would have been almost hopeless. He found that the Lang Government sanctioned a scheme for breaches of the law in connection with fruit machines, but the evidence did not disclose corrupt dealing by: Mr. Love, chairman of the Hospitals Commission, though his administration was unbusinesslike. Stranger Than Fiction. In connection with tin hares the judge draws . attention to the extraordinary series of company transactions, some of the stories concerning which were stranger than fiction. • The devices employed were often fantastic and nearly always clumsy. The most astonishing case was that of a chartered accountant who admitted that one company's ledger showed false entries and juggling with figures to make the account correspond with a false entry' in the minutes. "It appears that the feeling is gaining ground that Governments are not bound to observe strictly the terms of the Acts, which they administer. Mr. M. Gosling, late Chief Secretary, when asked .whence certain power was derived said that Cabinet arrogated it to itself." The commissioner points out that the Act gave no authority for metehanical coursing on licensed grounds, but the Minister, instead of licensing the grounds issued permits to conduct racing which he had no authority to do. In the granting of tin hare permits the commissioner said he was driven to the conclusion that the wishes of "Judge" _ Swindell were followed in almost .every case, and that Swindell was in close - touch,' directly or indirectly, with i some . section of the Cabinet throughout. Deliberate Breaches of Law. With regard to fruit machines hie Honor said there was no doubt that the Lang Cabinet had sanctioned their installation, knowing that they involved breaches of the law. In his' introductory remarks the commissioner commented on the prevalence of false swearing ' before the commission. He said the inquiry had revealed the fact that the opinion was widely held that in order to get things done bribery must be employed. There stood two takers of toll—Swindell, who received money, or. money's worth, to get legislation passed or as the price of permits to race, and Sleejnan, publicity officer in the former Government's employ, holding an undefined position of authority in connection with the hospitals scheme and levying week by week a percentage of the takings from the owners of the fruit machines.

Legislation By Corrupt Means. Referring to Redmond Bany's alleged suggestion that he should use his influence to get- the necessary legislation passed, for which he was to receive 5000 shares in each company, Judge Halse Rogers says that Barry.is a discredited witness, whose evidence lie refused to accept except where it was borne out by documents as in the caee» trf the .Greyhound Coursing Association and the Australasian Coursing Club, each of which informed Barry that 5000 shares were being held for him. . . The commissioner eayfl: "L do not believe the representatives of these companies promised such a payment for the social campaign. in favour of betting. From what happened later it appears that the directors , involved would not tesitate. to make themselves parties to a scheme of bribery if, as a result, they fcould again carry on racing as a legalised eport. "The promise to allocate shares to Barry stands on a par with, the transactions subsequently available to Swindell. lam bound .to..find that the Jiersons., mentioned entered the - scheme to procure legislation by corrupt means."