WAR OR BRIBERY

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 October 1931, Page 9

WAR OR BRIBERY

BUSINESS MEN TAKE ACTION

FIGHT FOR ORDERS

A great poster campaign against bribery and secret commissions has been launched in Britain by a small circle of businessmen, who have suffered heavy financial losses owing to the activities of corrupt agents. These businessmen are operating in conjunction with the Bribery and Secret Commissions Prevention League, which declares that although bribery in business is more prevalent than ever, the majority of businessmen are showing an amazing indifference toward the scandal. An attempt is now to be made to form an international league to fight the menace. Here are some recent proved cases: A fish merchant offered 5 per cent to a buyer, employed by a famous firm of caterers, on the amount of the account ordered by him. More than £3OOO was given by a firm of contractors to a number of officials of one of the largest municipal gas undertakings in the country. “Loans,” which were never repaid, and gifts of expensive wireless sets, carpets, and whisky, were made by a firm of engineers to corporation offiA textile merchant tried to bribe, with £IOOO, a fire insurance claim assessor A manager of a silk firm offered money to workpeople in a rival factory to obtain trade secrets. The number of convictions under the Preventions of Corruptions Acts during the last year—there were 40 —has only been exceeded in two war years, 1917 and 1918. . The eases extended over a wide variety of trades, and included bookmakers, Civil Servants, a road- contractor. silk merchant, sheriff’s assistant, wire mills ihanager, and tobacco factory foreman. “There is no doubt that bribery xs widespread in almost every branch of industry and commerce,” said an eminent- London solicitor recently. “It is particularly rampant in certain shops which ‘handle women’s wear. Manufacturers who do. not offer secret commissions have great difficulty m crotting their goods on the market. ” Mr R. M. Leonard, the secretary of the league, said lately that bribery was increasing by: Secret commissions to buyers; open gifts of sums of money to those in a position to place orders; and false documents —hills or receipts which show a larger amount than that actually charged. ‘A welcome move has recently been made by a number of club and hotel suppliers who have resolved to expose any attempt to secure secret commissions Foreign firms are notorious fo‘ the lengths to which they will go to secure public contracts in Britain.. . A Belgian firm recently offered a British surveyor a large sum of money if he would use his influence to secure them an order for roadmaking materials. He declined. No action could he taken against the firm because it was not domiciled in Britain.”