OWNERSHIP OF DALRAY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27502, 9 November 1954, Page 9

OWNERSHIP OF DALRAY

FORMER BOOKMAKER QUESTIONED

DENIAL OF EVIDENCE BY SUB-INSPECTOR (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 8. Percival Murray White, the formei bookmaker spoken of as being partowner of the Melbourne Cup winner Dalray, denied that there was any truth in the statement when he was called to give evidence before the Police * Inquiry Commission today. Sub-Inspector James Gibson had said at an earlier sitting that it was common knowledge that Mr White had been a half-owner of the horse. In evidence today, Mr White, when asked for his occupation said he was “doing nothing at the moment.” At present he was living at Paraparaumu. He had been engaged in bookmaking for some years. The witness said he had made two trips to Australia in 1952. The first trip was about March and the other about September. He had received two letters of introduction from SubInspector Gibson before going to Australia. He had known Sub-Inspector Gibson before when he (Mr White) had owned a skatink rink in Invercargill. Asked to explain the circumstances leading up to Sub-Inspector Gibson giving him two letters of introduction to two members of the Australian Police Force, the witness said: “I went down to the ferry boat one night and a friend of mine introduced me to two Australian detectives over here for the races. , “They came to my place that night, and it was suggested that if I was going over there to get a reference, and a friend of mine rang up Mr Gibson.” To further questions from Mr C. Evans-Scott (counsel assisting the commission) the witness said that he had not seen Sub-Inspector Gibson. The letters had been posted in an official envelope. One letter of introduction was. to an officer in Sydney and the other in Melbourne. Their names were Gordon Jack and Mr Craig. Copy Correct The witness was shown a copy of a letter found by Detective-Sergeant Mason in the witness’s home. He said it was a correct copy. It referred to “two letters of introduction to two of the boys at Sydney,” but one, in fact, was in Melbourne. The witness said he had explained through a friend to Sub-Inspector Gibson that he was going to Australia for “health and pleasure” reasons. Asked by Mr Evans-Scott why he needed the letters for that, the witness said he had thought it would be handy in joining Tattersall’s Club. Mr Evans-Scott asked whether the letters did not have something to do with the witness going on racecourses in Australia. The witness replied that he did not understand the position over there, but wanted to find out. Further questioned, -he said he had neither given nor lent Sub-Inspector Gibson any money. On the first trip he* made to Australia, he said, he had not gone in a party. He had been accompanied by only one other person. Mr Evans-Scott: I suppose you saw a report in thd* paper of the evidence that you were travelling with the •owner of Dalray and with the jockey Nuttall? < The witness: No. I went a month after them. So Nuttall senior and his son, the jockey, went a month before?—Yes. And what about the owner?—l went over on the same aeroplane as the owner. Did you see a reference to the fact that it was rumoured that you were a part-owner of Dalray?—l have never heard of that before. Is it correct that you have an inters! in Dalray at all? —None whafeojsver. To further questions from Mr EvansScott, the witness said he had never used the letters, and he supposed he had since destroyed them. Mr Efvans-Scott said that that was the only evidence he wished to call at the current sitting. Mr R. Hardie Boys, appearing for

Sub-Inspector George Edward Callaghan, asked whether any other detectives would be called to give evidence on a statement by Mr Ritchie that he thought other officers at headquarters knew about the butter supply from Mr King, mentioned in earlier evidence. Mr Boys said the name of one man mentioned was Detective Bevege.’ Mr Evans-Scott said that no further interview had been made on this point. He recalled that Jdr Ritchie had said that Detective 'Bevege would not necessarily know where the butter came from.

Mr Evans-Scott objected to Mr Boys saying that he had not bothered to call Detective Bevege. Informed that Detective Bevege was now stationed at Wanganui the commission (Sir Robert Kennedy) said he could appear before the commission. ■ -■ i \