CROPLEY CHARGES.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2544, 29 November 1924, Page 7

CROPLEY CHARGES.

ALLEGED ATTEMPT TO SHIELD CULPRIT."

[By Electric Cable—Copyright.]

[Aust. and K 7, Cnble Association.] SYDNEY, November 28.

Addressing' the Commission on Inquiry into the Cropley charges, Mr Watt, counsel for Alderman Walker! said the publicity given to the Commission in regard to the Cropley matter had if its intention was to get at the truth, entirely defeated it s aim. It was obvious to anyone who had paid attention to the case that there had been an attempt by Cropley to bribe someone. It was obvious that Cropley had taken the course he din in order to shield that person. Whoever Cropley had attempted to bribe, it was not one of those whose names had been mentioned in this case. Ho contended that if the material supplied to the Crown solicitor had been given to the detective department to make discreet inquiries, they wourti have had enough material to secure something more pertinent to the matter than the Royal Commission had been able to elicit.

The allegation made by Mr Cropley aa the result of which the Commission wag set up. was that he was approached by two persons who told him that the City Council would pay him £14,000 tor the surrender of certain leases If he paid £IOOO, but that if ho did not pay the money ho would only get £l2 000. The council actually offered £12,000. which he declined to accept. The Commission entered into a wide Investigation of civic transactions In connection with which “graft” was alleged