DEMOCRAT FUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 69, 18 September 1936, Page 10

DEMOCRAT FUNDS

MR. HISLOP'S EVIDENCE A HEAVY PERSONAL LOSER EX GRATIA PAYMENTS [By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. In evidence taken at Wellington and read in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland today in the case in which Baulf is suing officials of the former Democrat Party for wages and expenses allegedly due to him, T. C. A. Hislop, late leader of the party, stated that he knew the plaintiff acted aa organiser for the party at Auckland, but he knew nothing of the terms of Baulf's appointment. His own function was to act as,leader of the candidates in the field and address, meetings throughout the country. He was not a member of the executive.

Replying to Mr. Mazengarb, Mr. Hislop said that he received a chequo for £3250 or thereabouts made payable to his order. It was handed to him by Davy while on tour. He was to hold that money for general purposes of the party, and he lodged it to thai credit of a Hislop trust account. Ha did not pay the money to the treasurer, as he was expressly asked by Davy t» keep it in his own account. The treasurer knew this, and no question was ever raised about it. The witness said that he made many; payments out of this account with tha concurrence of the chief executive, Davy, and to the knowledge of the treasurer. Prior to the General Election day the whole of the money had been applied in accordance with the arrangements made by the chief executive officer. The arrangement included a personal payment to witness, the total of this amount being £IOOO. This was paid to protect him to some extent against anticipated financial loss resulting from the six months' campaign. HEAVY PERSONAL LOSS. Actually, he suffered heavy loss through the campaign. Apart from the money out of the £3250 he had an arrangement with Davy for £IOO monthly for three months to.be paid to his office under an arrangement ha had made with his partners. Default was made in the payment of one sum of £IOO and the witness paid it t» his partners out of his own money. After the election he ascertained that an amount exceeding £I2OO was owing bv the party for election expenses to various-creditors. The witness paul purely ex gratia approximately £709 out of his own moneys since the election towards tr£ payment of debts. He did this because he did not like people to remain unpaid for services rendered to an organisation with which his name was connected. Me was personally the loser of a very, considerable sum. yesterday's proceedings are published on Page 3.