BRIBERY CHARGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 January 1944, Page 4

BRIBERY CHARGES

THREE ACCUSED ACQUITTED

LONDON, January 22. After a week’s trial in the Centra! Criminal Court, Harold L. Armstrong, Director-General of Aircral’i Production, “Henry Bloss, Deputy-Director-General, and Rex Morten I Hoyes, a New Zealander, were found I not guilty of a charge of conspiring to contravene the Prevention of Corruption Act. Hoyes was also found not guilty of corruptly giving Armstrong two cheques, each of £5OO. and Bloss one cheque’ for £2OO. Armstrong and Bloss were found not guilty of accepting the cheques corruptly. It ’was alleged that after recommendations from Armstrong and Bloss the firm of Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft, Ltd., was given a contract for the manufacture of 250 Seafire aeroplanes, and also allotted £86,000 for the extension of its premises, and that, while negotiations were progressing, Armstrong and Bloss received cheques from Hoyes.

Mr Justice Stable said Armstrong and Bloss were honestly of the opinion that the inclusion of CunliffeOwen Aircraft, Ltd., in the Seai.r.-. group was the best solution of a problem then confronting the Ministry of Aircraft Production. There was not the slightest shadow of a suggestion that either Armstrong or Bloss had recommended a bad proIposition for the money. He instructed the jury to wipe out the charge of conspiring to contravene the Prevention of Corruption Act and the return of a formal verdict of not guilty.