BALLOT BOX CASE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 7

BALLOT BOX CASE.

NEW SOUTH WALES LABOUR SCANDALS.

-MR. THEODORE’S FINDINGS

SYDNEY, Nov. 27. The Queenslnd Premier (Mr. Theodore), who lias been inquiring into the Labour 1 Party ballot-box scandals, at the request of the Federal executive of the party, -has concluded his investigations. He found th*t Gavin Sutherland was not implicated, but that Mr. John Bailey, MIL.A,, Alderman Bramston. and Mr. 'A. W. Buckley j ex-M.L.A., had knowledge'of the proposal to construct fraudulent ballotboxes. However, he found that the boxes were not used in connection with the Sydney selection ballot in 1920, for which they were alleged to have been constructed. For nearly a fortnight Mr. Theodore was deluged with documentary evidence —a. two years’ collec-tion—-that would have daunted almost any judge in the world. And the stream...of oral evidence in support or rebuttal was tenough, as one wag remarked, to give an ordinary man “sliding panels in.the brain.”" As arbitrator, Mr. Theodore has had to hold the balance evenly between the tactions that have been engaged ip the bitterest, feud in the history of the Labour movement in this State. In all his career it is doubtful whether Mr. Theodore was ever set a more difficult' task. But it was evident throughout that the Queensland Premier had the complete confidence of the large .....number of Labour supporters who closely followed the proceedings.

The sensation of the inquiry was the refusal of Mr. T. J. Smith, who originally exposed the scandals, to give evidence. That Mr. Smith’s decision was not due to any lack of courage was indicated by his dramatic appearance at the inquiry, publicly to express his opinion of Mr. Theodore ’and Mr. Willis. His attack on those gentlemen was. however, regarded as merely a temperamental outburst.

Both Mr. A: C. Willis, who appeared f or the State Labour Executive, and Mr. E. Grayifdler, M.L.C., who looked after the interests of the A.W.U., displaved remarkable ability in crossexamination. But Mr. Grayndler, who has had p, long experience in Arbitration Court cases, was much the keener, and showed to advantage over the slow-thinking secretary of the Miners’ Federation. In the cross-examination r>f witnesses hv the appellant, naturaliv .much bitterness crept in, and' Mr. Theodore had occasionally to handle matters very firmly. With a we alee’* man presiding over this curious case, the partisans at the inquiry might easily have got completely out of hand. Every section of the -Labour movement is bound by the decisions of the recent inter-State Labour Conference to abide hv that verdict. And apiohg the best elements in the Labour Party it is fervently honed that peace and harmony may at last be restored.