MR E. J. WARD DEFENDED

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25766, 30 March 1949, Page 5

MR E. J. WARD DEFENDED

CORRUPTION CHARGES INQUIRY MR CHIFLEY APPEARS AS WITNESS (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY. March 29. The Federal Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) appeared as a surprise witness before the Royal Commission which is inquiring into allegations against the integrity of the Minister of External Territories (Mr E. J. Ward). The allegations were made during the trials in Sydney of John S. Garden and others on charges arising from the alleged grant of .timber licences in New Guinea. The commission is required to report whether Mr Ward was

a party to certain transactions about timber rights, and whether he was promised, or received any financial benefit from the transactions. The commission was appointed at Mr Ward’s request. To-day Mr Chifley told counsel before the commission that he still believed that anyone who knew Mr Ward would not doubt his honesty. When, in 1947, the Minister of Trade and Customs (Senator B. Courtice) had mentioned allegations of a dishonest transaction in which Mr Ward was possibly implicated, he had replied that one heard very strange stories in political jobs, and that nobody who knew Mr ward personally would doubt his honesty. Mr Chiflev said he had known Mr Ward for 20 years, and had never heard any allegation against him involving his personal integrity. Mr Ward had pressed for the Royal Commission.