“INSURANCE PREMIUM”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 115, 13 February 1928, Page 8

“INSURANCE PREMIUM”

PAID TO UNION OFFICIAL TO KEEP MINE OPEN By telegrath.—Press association Copyright. Sydney, February 11. In an official statement telegraphed from Hobart, Mr. R. N. Kirk, one of the directors of the Stockton Borehole ! Collieries, ■ stated that he paid Hoare a bonus to keep the mine working. He says that for a long time the colliery was subjected to irritation tactics and lengthy stoppages. As the situation had become intolerable it was thought that the president of the Miners’ Federation might be disposed to consider an arrangement for maintaining peace. It seemed worth while paying the president of the federation an insurance premium based on the tonnage of the output, to secure a continuity of work for the colliery, and to induce the men to obey the awards. Mr. Kirk says: "I did not disclose the details to my co directors or to the secretary of the company, who was quite unaware of the payments made to or through Hoare. Such payments were made by me out of the selling commission paid me bv the colliery company, and from the allowance made me by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, which was anxious to keep the pit regularly at work in the interest of the steel works.” COMMISSION OF INQUIRY PROBABLE Sydney, February 11. Mr. Buttenshaw, the Acting-Premier, announced in Cabinet on Thursday that be would consider a request for the appointment of a Roval Commission to inquire into the bribery yha'rges made by Air. Hoare in connection with the Stockton Borehole Colliery.