A NEW SOUTH WALES SCANDAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21247, 29 July 1932, Page 8

A NEW SOUTH WALES SCANDAL

The Royal Commissioner's finding in the inquiry into charges against C. J. Goode, chief transport commissioner of New South Wales, has been followed by the resignation of this State officer. As the finding convicted him of serious misconduct amounting to fraud, this relinquishing of office was inevitable. Exposure of his malpractice would have happened earlier but for Mr. Lang, and this aspect of the case cannot be overlooked. Goode was formerly superintendent of goods traffic in the New South Wales Railway Department, and early last year was dismissed by the Railway Commissioners after their investigation of charges against him. The then Opposition in the Legislative Assembly endeavoured to have the papers relating to that investigation tabled, but on a party voto was defeated. It waß apparent that the Labour Government was averse to the giving of publicity to the matter. Further efforts to have the charges ventilated were made after Goode's dismissal, * and these efforts drew from Mr. Lang the retort that the charges were part of a malioioua persecution of the man he

required to draw up new transport legislation. Mr. Lang thereafter appointed the dismissed superintendent to assist him in preparing the Transport Bill. The Opposition still pressed for information about the reasons for Goode's dismissal, and eventually Mr. Lang said that he had forwarded the. papers to the Crown Solicitor, with instructions to take action "if necessary." However, nothing came of that, and the next thing known was that Goode had been appointed Commissioner of Transport Co-ordination. Again the Opposition asked for the tabling of the papers relating to the charges, only to be foiled again by the Government. However, after the general election the opportunity came to submit the matter to a Royal Commission, and the new Government took it, with the outcome that now passes iftto the political history of New South Wales. It is a sordid story, and the Lang Government cannot escape responsibility, at least for its evident determination to avert public discussion and its favours to a man manifestly unfit for public office. Its part in the affair reflects nothing but discredit upon that Government and gives point to the indictment that it was itself unworthy of public confidence. The Goode case may not be alone in impressing that conclusion.