Businessman’s Evidence In Turnbull Bribery Hearing

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28618, 21 June 1958, Page 13

Businessman’s Evidence In Turnbull Bribery Hearing

(Rec. 8 p.m.) HOBART, June 20. A Sydney businessman, George Fitzpatrick told the Turnbull bribery hearing today that the words of the former Treasurer. Dr. R. J. D. Turnbull, were “indelibly printed on his mind.” He denied under cross examination by Mr H. J. Solomon (for Turnbull) that his story of Dr. Turnbull seeking a bribe was “carefully rehearsed an' completely untrue.” Fitzpatrick was giving evidence in the Poli.ce Court hearing of corruption charges against Dr Turnbull. He told of a conversation he had with Dr. Turnbull at a Hobart hotel on November 12 last year. It was during this talk, Fitzpatrick alleges, that Dr. Turnbull demanded £A20,000 for the issue of a lottery licence to Fitz-

- Patrick’s company. s Mr Solomon began his cross- - examination with these words: “1 f give you the last cl. nee to repent. . . .” Account of Meeting I In his evidence, Fitzpatrick , gave this account of a meeting < s with Dr. Turnbull in room 126 at ' . West Point Hotel, before dinner ' t on November 12: “Dr. Turnbull , sat down near a window, completely relaxed, with a gin and tonic. ' “He asked, very casually: ’Now. what’s in this for me? . . I i don’t trust anyone. I don’t believe i in promises. I want cash, and I ; want it in advance.’ ” Fitzpatrick said that Dr. Turn- i bull demanded two certified ; cheques for £lO,OOO, payable to a i firm of brokers, in rfeturn for the i licence of Tasmanian Lotteries. He t would keep one cheque, and re- t turn the other if Fitzpatrick's < company got the licence and gave i him 5 per cent, of the profits. i Fitzpatrick denied having told Dr. Turnbull “I will look aftei e you with 3 per cent of the profits t if you are found out.” or "This c is worth £5OOO per annum to c you.” He also denied having said that c granting the lottery licence would y be worth £20,000 to the Labour a Party. a Fitzpatrick said: “He made it quite clear to me that if this o payment was not made before 10 C a.m. next day the licence would C not be issued.” n Fitzpatrick said that his solid- n tor, Mr H. S. Witham (who ac- I

cording to Fitzpatrick knew of Dr. Turnbull’s alleged demands) hid outside the hotel bedroom window when he talked to Dr. Turnbull again later that day to establish a witness to the conversation.

“Mr Witham advised me that my position was an extremely grave and serious one,’’ Fitzpattrick said. “He told me that in his opinion Dr. Turnbull would claim that it was I who offered the bribe, and it would resolve into one man's word against the

“Therefore, as my legal adviser, he considered it necessary that every possible step should be taken to protect me against such an accusation.