PUBLICAN'S DISCLOSURES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 11

PUBLICAN'S DISCLOSURES

TIN HARE SCANDAL BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS POLITICIANS IMPLICATED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyiiglit (Received August 2, 7.5 p.m.) SYDNEY. Auii. 2 Mr. Justice Halse Rogers, the Royal Commissioner appointed by the Stevens Government to investigate the allegations regarding tin hares and fruit machines, resumed the inquiry to-day. Gerald Barry, formerly a hotelkeepfr at Goulburn, related efforts ho had mad-3 on behalf of greyhound coursing clubs to have night betting restored in tin hare racing. Ho said he had several interviews with Mr. J. Tully, who was Minister of Lands in tho Lang Government. Witness said he had had a conversation also with Jack Munro, who remarked that night belting would have to be a matter of "graft," otherwise would not go through. Tully said to witness: "If the proposition is put properly I feel sure a bill would go through." He said ho would have to see Mr. M. Gosling, then Chief Secretary. When Tully was told ho could have 4000 shares in greyhound coursing companies, said witness, he replied: "That will give me an opportunity of looking after Gosling. You must make tho shares out to my nominee." Witness stated that he personally was to be paid £2OOO. However, he got only £IBOO, and signed a receipt. Counsel for Tully: Itou niado it plain that it was necessary to bribe certain members of Parliament ? Witness: Yes. And I was the person prepared to do the bribing and take tho risk. It was perfectly plain to those I met that "graft" was going on. Barry explained that the arrangement to pay him £2OOO came from Mr. Delbridge, of the Premier's office, last March, after the tin hare scandals had been mentioned in Parliament by the then leader of the Opposition, Mr. B. S. Stevens. He said he had been treated badly by those whom he had sought to assist, and he had undertaken to expose "the whole outfit" by making a statutory declaration and providing documents about what was happening. Witness said he told Tully of his intentions and Tully asked to be kept out of the disclosures. He duly made the declaration and received £IBOO from Delbridge "for information supplied," and the present Premier, Mr. Stevens, thus became possessed of what was going on behind the scenes. t Barry also told of a meeting with Mr. Keighery, who also was trying to get dog race betting restored. Keighery, on that occasion, told witness he had seen Mr. Lang, who had informed him that the matter should not have been left in the hands of an outsider, meaning witness, and that legislation would not go through unless it was left in his (Mr. Lang s) hands. The hearing was again adjourned.