ENQUIRY OPENS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19804, 17 December 1929, Page 20

ENQUIRY OPENS.

CHARGES OF MISCONDUCT. ALLEGED BETTING BY TELEGRAPH OPERATORS. I THE FKESS Special Serrlc#.] AUCKLAND, December 16. 'lhe tuquiry instituted by the Post and Telegraph Department, info the conduct or members of the operating room staff against whom allegations of betting iiavo been maae was opened in tlie .Uugistrat-e's Court before Mr Hunt. it is alleged that rime members of the staff used office telephones in relation to betting on races at the Takapuna Jockey Club's, meeting on JSovemDer 30th and December I'nd. lhe enquiry 15 not open to the Press or publ.c and is expected to last tor another three days. During the iakapuna race meeting two inspectors of the Department listened 111 through secret wires on the telephones in the telegraph office ana they afterwards confronted some members of the staff with notes of their conversations which it is alleged referred to bets at the meeting. It is stated that about 40 members of the staff were questioned and that a number of them admitted breaches of the Departmental regulations. Nine denied the allegations made against them and the two inspectors, Messrs Ogilvie and Dawson, placed the matter before the secretary of the Department, Mr G. McNamara. Mr McXamara was unable to decide the men's guilt 011 the evidence placed before him and ordered an enquiry by a Magistrate as he was not prepared to give a decision. The proceedings of the enquiry are similar to those of the Court, the Department charging the men with a breach of the regulations and leading evidence in support, while the officers have the right to. cross-examine witnesses and to call evidence for the defence. Th© finding of the Magistrate on the facts brought before him and his report on the case is forwarded to the Department, which in cases where guilt has been proved deci'des the penalty to be inflicted. It iB expected that any members of the nine now being questioned by the enquiry who are found guilty will be dealt with at the same time as the other members of the staff who have already admitted breaches of the regulations. The Department is represented by Mr Meredith, Crown Solicitor, who has with him Mr Ogilvie, one of the inspectors. The defence is in the hands of Mr Allan Moody, assisted by Mr W. H. Brown, the employees 5 representative on the Post and Telegraph Appeal Board. A large number of witnesses are being called, and as each case is being taken separately, four days in all will probably be required to finish the enquiry. To-day only two men were dealt with. The men are being charged with misconduct, an offence not strictly defined in the regulations, and not with divulging confidential information received in the course of their duties, as was at first expected. The penalty which may be inflicted comprises either dismissal from the service in extreme cases, or a fine.