CONTRACT ENQUIRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1928, Page 7

CONTRACT ENQUIRY

COMMISSIONER’S FINDING BRIBE PAID TO MALING (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable-Press Assn—Copyright.) (Recd. June 23, 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 22. The report of Justice Harvey, Royal Commissioner, who investigated the allegation of graft in connection with certain city contracts for the supply of plant for electrical works, finds that Arnot, the Sydney representative of Babcock and Wilcox, had as the result of interviews with Maling, then Deputy Manager of the Electricity Department committed his Company to make a payment for distribution between Maling and certain unnamed Labour Aiderman, as the price for securing the Sydney City Council’s acceptance of the Babcock Wilcox tender.

The Commissioner finds difficulty in tracing the money after it reached Maling’s hands, but evidence leads to the belief that the money was paid to ex-Aldermen Green as Maling suggests. The Judge prefers to rely on witness Albert’s account of the financial dealings in connection with, the receipt of moneys from England than on that of Maling who proved an untrustworthy witness. Regarding ex-Aldennan Holdsworth, the Judge says he believes that Holdsworth did approach Arnot with a request for a money payment to secure his support, for the firm’s tender.

There is no evidence to support the suggestion that the International Combustion Company was privy to its Sydney manager, Hutchinson’s, action asking the Company to cable. £15,000 for “preliminary expenses.” The Commissioner considers that the citizens’ interests were unharmed by the corrupt bargain between Arnot and Maling, as the Babcock-Wilcox tender would probably have been accepted if no bargaining or promise' of money had been made.