GRAFT IN SYDNEY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 50, 22 November 1928, Page 8

GRAFT IN SYDNEY

CITY COUNCIL COAL - CONTRACTS TRUST BETRAYED JUDGE’S REPORT ON INQUIRY (United Press Association.— By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Rec. November 21, 10.25 p.m.) Sydney, November 21. Judge Thomson’s report on the City Council coal contracts, recently the subject of investigation, was made available to-day. Judge Thomson found that the two persons mainly responsible for the introduction of bribery were W. Johnston, manager for B. Byrnes, Limited, and R. Woof, former superintendent of tlie City Councils powerhouse. They had betrayed their trust. Respective employers also had acted dishonestly toward some people with whom they had had graft transactions. Both were implicated by their own sworn statements and admissions, while Silas Maling was implicated by the evidence of Johnston and M oof and admissions to the police inspector who interviewed him in New Zealand. Each had obtained considerable sums by means of graft. Johnston, however, became ill during the inquiry and eventually died.” Judge Thomson declared that there was the gravest suspicion regarding the parts played by the former Lord Mayor, Mr. Mostyn, and ex-Alderman English, while ex-Alderman Holdsworth impressed Judge Thomson as an unreliable witness unworthy of credence. ■