SYDNEY INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 125, 29 May 1928, Page 9

SYDNEY INQUIRY

■ » MALING IN THE BOX A WELLINGTON INTERVIEW MOEE ABOUT CONTRACT United Tress Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. / SYDNEY, 28th May. The Royal Commission inquiring into civic affairs continued its sittings to-day. S. Y. Maling, under cross-examina-tion by counsel for certain aldermen, said that Inspector Mackay, of the New South Wales Criminal Investigation Department, showed him at the police office, Wellington, statements made by Buckte, Albert, and Miss Gordon, but did not tell witness that he had placed himself within reach of the law in connection with the BabcockWilcox contract. What Inspector Maekay said was that witness had committed a breach of the Stamp Duties Act. The witness denied that Inspector Mackay said anything about a warrant or that he could take witness back to Sydney in connection. with the stamp duties matter. Witness admitted that ho had kept the inspector in ignorance of the fact that he had received £2000 out of the Babcock-Wilcox contract, and did not alter this statement until he had returned to Sydney and consulted his solicitor. He also admitted telling the inspector that he had paid £8000 to Alderman Green, and that Albert had got the remainder. He also asked Mackay if the latter believed that Albert would handle tho transaction: without getting something out of it. In reply- to a further question, the witness said that while at Rotorua he received a letter from Albert which ad; vised witness to get out of the country, to leave on a foreign ship, and not on any account to return to Sydney. A letter from Maling while in New Zealand to his solicitor was then read. In the letter Maling stated: "As I surmised, a police officer has been.sent to see me about certain matters, and I have now decided to veturn to my job, as I still believe I shall bo compelled to return on a trumped-up charge." The letter proceeds to state that Maling had been informed that Albert was making- highly damaging, statements about him, and suggested that the solicitor write to Albert in order to compel him to desist.