“GRAFT GOING ON"

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 264, 3 August 1932, Page 9

“GRAFT GOING ON"

Mechanical Hare Races WITNESS’S ADMISSION Prepared to Do the Bribing By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright (Rec. August 2, 7.55 p.m.) Sydney, August 2. The Royal Commission’s inquiry Into charges arising from the issue of mechanical hare licenses was continued to-day. Gerald Barry, formerly a hotelkeeper at Goulburn, explained the efforts he had made on behalf of greyhound coursing clubs to have night betting restored. In connection with tin hare racing he had several interviews with Mr. J. Tully, Minister of Lands in the Lang Government. He also had a conversation with Mr. Jack Munro, who remarked: “Night betting would have to be a matter of graft, otherwise legislation would not go through,” adding that he would have to see Mr.' Gosling, then Chief Secretary. When Mr. Tully was told that he could have 4000 shares in greyhound coursing companies, he replied: “That will give me an opportunity of looking after Gosling. You must make the shares out to my nominee Barry.” He added that he personally was to be paid £2OOO. He, however, got only £lBOO, and signed the receipt. Counsel for Mr Tully: You made it plain that it was necessary to bribe certain members of Parliament? Mr. Barry: Yes, and I was the person prepared to do the bribing and take the risk. It was perfectly plain to those I met that graft was going on. Witness explained that the arrangement to pay him £2OOO came from Mr. Delbridge, of the Premier’s office, last March after the tin hare scandals had been mentioned in Parliament by the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr. B. Stevens. He had been treated badly by those whom he sought to assist and had undertaken to expose the whole outfit by making a statutory declaration and providing documents about what was happening. He told Mr. Tully of his intentions, and Mr. Tully asked to be kept out of the disclosures. He duly made the declaration and received £lBOO from Mr. Delbridge for Information supplied, and the present Premier, Mr. Stevens, thus became possessed of what was going on behind the scenes.

Mr. Barry also related a meeting with Mr. Keighery, who also was trying to get dog racing and betting restored. Mr. Keighery on that occasion told witness that he had seen Air. J. T. Lang, the ex-Premier, who informed him that the matter should not have been left in the hands of an outsider, meaning Barry, and that legislation would not go through unless left in his, Mr. Lang’s, hands. The hearing was adjourned.