BELCHER’S ACTIONS UNDER FIRE BY INQUIRY COUNSEL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22822, 17 December 1948, Page 5

BELCHER’S ACTIONS UNDER FIRE BY INQUIRY COUNSEL

(N.Z.P.A.— Reuter—Copyright.)

(1T.30 a.in.) LONDON, Doc. 16. John Belcher, former Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, was described by counsel as a ‘‘man who has lost his integrity through association with an unscrupulous rogue,” at the tribunal presided over by Air. Justice Lynskev, which is inquiring into allegations of corruption among Ministers and Government officials.

Mr. Edmund Davies, K.C., in making his speech on behalf of Harry Sherman, the Football Pools chief, spoke of the “depth to which Belcher had sunk,” because of his association with Sidney Stanley, the alien who had been the central figure in the 23-day-old inquiry. , , ~ Mr. Davies said that Belcher had told other Government officials of allegations of corruption against them and himself, yet he had actually laughed it off. “A corruption of moral standards at least has been quite clearly established.” he said. Mr. Davies said that Stanley was a complete liar- His allegation that Sherman habitually carried £20,000 or £30,000 in £1 notes was outrageous.

Holding up a letter from someone in Chester, Mr. Davies said that the writer had taken the trouble to weigh £30,000 in £1 notes and the weight was 671 b. , , Counsel for other witnesses before the tribunal also addressed it.