WAR ON BRIBERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 2 (Supplement)

WAR ON BRIBERY.

BUSINESS MEN'S CAMPAIGN.

HOW BRIBES ARE OFFERED.

CASES BROUGHT TO LIGHT.

A groat poster campaign against bribery and secret commissions has been launched in Britain by a small circle of business men, who have suffered heavy financial losses owing to the activities of corrupt agents.

These business men are operating in conjunction with tho Bribery and Secret Commissions Prevention League, 1 which declares that although bribery in business is more prevalent than ever, the majority of business men are showing an amazing indifference towards the scandal. An attempt is now to bo made to form an international league to fight the menace. J-lere are some recent proved cases:—

A fish merchant offered 5 per cent, to a buyer, employed by a famous firm of caterers, on tho 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 tho 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 officials. A textile merchant tried to bribe, with £IOOO, a firo insurance claim assessor.

A manager of a silk firm offered money to workpeople in a rival factory to obtain trado secrets. Tho number of convictions under the Prevention of Corruption Acts during the last year—there were forty—has only been

exceeded in two war years, 1917 and 1918

The cases extended over a wide variety of trades and included bookmakers, civil servants, a road contractor, silk merchant, sheriff's assistant, wiro mills manager, and tobacco factory foreman.

" There is no doubt that bribery is widespread in almost every branch of industry and commerce," said an eminent London solicitor cularly rampant in certain shops which handle women's wear. Manufacturers who do not offer secret commissions have great difficulty in getting their goods on the market."

Mr. R. M. Leonard, tic secretary of the league, said lately thai 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—bills or receipts which show a. larger amount than that actually charged.

" A welcome move lias 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 for 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 be taken against the firm because it was riot domiciled in Britain."