Charges Against Ministers In Anonymous Letter To Inquiry Judge

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22821, 16 December 1948, Page 5

Charges Against Ministers In Anonymous Letter To Inquiry Judge

(N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright.)

(11.15 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 15. The chairman, Mr. Justice Lynskey, said today at the inquiry into the allegations of corruption by Government officials that he had received a number of anonymous letters charging that the Minister of Works, Charles Keys, had, in return for hospitality, given special consideration to a Captain Shiner.

Mr. Justice Lynskey said the letters had made accusations against Ministers of the Crown, and that was why they had been investigated.

Mr. Justice Lynskey told Keys, who was in the witness box: In these letters it was alleged that you and other Ministers were in the habit of staying regularly with Captain Shiner of the company known as Intrade Limited and that he (Shiner) had been seen by a newspaper reporter to whom he boasted that he could obtain any materials he desired.”

Letters largely Inaccurate

The Attorney-General, Sir Hartley Shawcross said he thought the letters came from a journalist. The letters had been found to be largely inaccurate. Key admitted he was a "very close personal friend” of Shiner but denied he had shown him any special consideration.

When Sir Hartley Shawcross suggested that Key’s association with Shiner “gave the necessary kick or impetus” to any matters concerning Intrade Limited, Key replied: "No more kick than any other letter which came into the office.”

Key and his family for 20 years. Neither he nor his company had given money to Key. The only present they had given him was a silver salver at a public presentation.

Sir Hartley Shawcross: “I have devoted a little midnight oil to reading 30 of your Ministry of Works’ files—from cover to cover in some cases. The fact is that you did intervene in certain of the Intrade Company’s applications.”

"A Deliberate Lie” Cross-examining Shiner, the fiftyseventh witness, Sir Hartley Shawcross said: “It has been reported in the newspapers that you have said in an interview you were able to approach the Ministers and cut through red tape to get things done.” Shiner: “It is a deliberate lie.” Asked whether he had ever rpade such a remark to a reporter, Shiner replied: “That man is a deliberate liar.” Shiner denied he had ever sought to influence any Ministers improperly. He also denied suggestions made in anonymous letters that he gave fur coats to Ministers’ wives.

Key: "It is not.” “Not Fair Interpretation”

Handing a file to Key, Sir Hartley Shawcross said: “That is an instance ol a case where a personal letter dealt with in your office resulted in the matter being treated as one of great urgency and entitled, perhaps, to most favourable consideration.” Key said he did not think that was a fair interpretation. A large number of cases which had been treated urgently could be found where no personal letter had been sent to the Minister. Key said he knew that letter? to him from Shiner had arrived addressed “My Dear Charles,” but these letters were never brought to him and went through the office in the ordinary way. At one point Key protested to the Attorney-General: ‘it is a strange attitude if a Minister cannot do for people who have been his friends for 20 year? things he would normally do for anybody else.” Key denied he ever received monetary payments from Shiner in connection with the granting of licenses oi in any other connection. Gordon Lloyd Owen Shiner, manage? of Intrade Limited, civil engineers, shipbuilders and barge-buihlers, said he had been on friendly terms with

Shiner said he gave a wireless set worth £l3 to Mrs. Key because “she wanted one like my daughter’s” and “as Mrs. Key’s birthday fell on the same day as my daughter’s.” Shiner said he believed the letters had been inspired by a personal enemy. Appeared as Stanley Earnest George Warner, officer in charge of the deportation group of the Aliens Office, said that on June 1, 1933 orders were made against Marcus Wulkan and Solomon Koshyzckys alias Rectand and known as Sid Wulkan. The police were unable to effect service of the order because they were unable to apprehend-Sid Wulkan. However, he recently appeared in the name of Sidney Stanley and was arrested in September. Warner added. Marcus Wulkan left for America and the order in his case was recently revoked. Warner said he had seen Stanley scores of times during t! e past few years and, from 1940, knew exactly where he was at all times. Tiie evidence has been concluded a? d c mnsel will now address the Tibunal.