CANADIAN GRAFT

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 May 1934, Page 7

CANADIAN GRAFT

TOBACCO MAGNATE’S CHARGES

(BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] OTTAWA, May 10. Mr Walter M. Stewart, President of the W. C. McDonald Tobacco Co., of Montreal, informed the Parliamentary Mass-Buying Committee that the McDonald Company was asked to donate money to the Conservative Party’s campaign fund in 1030 for the Federal election. Mr Stewart named Mr Ward Pitfield, of Montreal, whom he described as “a man close to the present Prime Minister," as the solicitor of the contribution. Mr Stewart said he was left with the impression that a' contribution would be interpreted as meaning that he (Stewart) wanted the excise duties on cigarettes reduced. It was inferred, he said, that other manufacturers had donated, hut he had refused to “chip in.” At least one of his competitors had advance information as to when the excise tax was to be reduced from six dollars to four in 19.”,2, and had stopped the manufacture of cigarettes in anticipation. This was the Bucket Factory, at Hamilton, in Ontario, a subsidiary of the Imperial Tobacco Coy. Mr Stewart, at the start of his evidence, wanted to call three unnamed members of the Government, and to ask them questions. He was told by the Minister for Trade and Commerce. Mr Stevens, the chairman of the Committee, that the task of the Committee was to investigate the tobacco industry.

To this, Mr Stewart replied: “What 1 am trying to talk about is buying the Government!" Two or three times, Mr Stewart wanted to direct questions to Cabinet. Ministers on how his competitors could have obtained their tip on the excise reduction, but the Committee took no formal recognition of his efforts.