MARCONI SURPRISES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15326, 12 June 1913, Page 7

MARCONI SURPRISES.

' SCENES AT INQUIRY. "LIES NUMEROUS AS MIDGETS" LIBERAL PARTY SHARES. MORE REVELATIONS MADE.

DEFENCE OF LATE WHIP. By Telegraph,—Press —Copyright. London, June 10. The Select Committee of the House of Commons, which is inquiring into the Marconi wireless contract, is considering its interim report. To-day Captain Arthur Murray (Liberal M.P. for Kincardineshire), a brother of the Master of Elibank, gave evidence that his brother, before leaving England, handed him 3000 Marconis purchased for the Liberal Party. The proposal made s was that he should retain the shares until the Marconi business was cleared up so that nobody but himself should be involved. He had informed his legal adviser of his intention, but had not informed his colleagues. The witness believed that his brother's transaction, if indiscreet, was perfectly free from dishonour. The witness thought that, if the transaction were disclosed, it would be used to make political capital at the expense of the party. In reply to a question, he thought it quite probable that nothing would have been heard of the Liberal Party's purchase if the Fenner incident had not occurred. The witness could not say whether Fenner's indebtedness was due to the Liberal Party or to the Master I of Elibank personally. Room Has to be Cleared. Lord Robert Cecil asked Mr. Salaman, a trustee of the estate of the bankrupt broker Fenner, with whom the Master of Elibank had dealings in two accounts, the nature of the trust account.' , Liberal members objected, apparently fearing disclosures relating to the party funds. Considerable bickering ' followed, and the room had to be cleared. When the public were readmitted, Mr. Salaman replied that the shares were registered in the names of the Master of Elibank and Mr. Percy Illingworth (the Liberal Whip). A sensation followed when a further examination of Salaman disclosed other dealings, the whole resulting in Fenner owing £30,000. Meanwhile a message was sent to Mr. Illingworth that his name had been mentioned, and he presented himself for examination. Chief Whip's Statement. The room was crowded, many members of the House of Commons being present. Mr. Illingworth said he had had no inkling of the matter until the end of last month, when he sent for Captain Murray, who told him of the Master of Elibank's purchases on behalf of the Liberal Party

finances. The party funds were at the uncontrolled discretion of the Ohief Whip. • Mr. Illingworth added that his only connection with the matter was as the second name in connection with the registration of the securities. The Master of Elibank's cheques were drawn on the Charihg Cross branch of the National Bank, which was not the bank where the party funds were usually kept. " Cruelly Slandered Man." The witness protested that the Master of Elibank was the most cruelly slandered man in the country. "When lies are flying about like swarms of midgets," he said, "I don't want to let fall a word of condemnation." N Mr. Illingworth said that the fact that when he assumed the Whipship, the Master of Elibank handed over to him the party's securities, but not the Marconi shares, had nothing to do with the Marconi inquiry. ' Any grievance was a grievance of the Eiberal Party against its former Whip ari a financier. i Angry Feelings Roused. During, the examination, it frequently happened that three or four members were firing questions simultaneously, Sir Albert Spicer (chairman) being seemingly powerless. Mr. Leopold Amery (Unionist member for South Birmingham) suggested that the party funds were the real creditors of the £30,000 in Fenner's estate. An angry scene followed, the Liberals present crying, " No; Elibank is personally the creditor." A noteworthy point is that the Marconi shares for which the Master of Elibank paid upwards of 60s, and which he still holds, are now under 15s.