LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20432, 12 June 1928, Page 9

LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA

THE BRIBERY CHARGES. ALLEGED TRAFFIC IN SEATS, (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, June 11(Received June 12, at 1 a.m.) The Royal Commission inquiry into Air Lambert’s charges that certain Federal members of Parliament had been offered money to vacate their seats has been resumed. Mr E. Windeyer, K.C., counsel for Mr 'E. G. Theodore, said that if the inquiry went beyond a certain point he would advise his client not to answer questions, and he would raise the question of the commission’s validity. Senator Walter Leslie Duncan was the first witness. He recounted remarks made bv Mr Percy Coleman, member for Reid, in the course of which he referred to monetary inducements being offered to members of the House of Representatives to resign. Witness did not think Mr Coleman had any idea of injuring Mr Theodore, nor did he understand that the money was to come from Mr Theodore. Witness added that he saw nothing wrong in a member giving up a seat to suit the exigencies of his party if it was done in the proper manner. George Cann, an ex-member of the House of Representatives, gave evidence that Mr Coleman told him that an attractive offer was made by one Mahoney on behalf of Mr Theodore to enable the latter to secure a seat. Later, when witness was to be run by the Nationalists against Coleman, the latter said he would do his utmost to put dirt over him. Witness replied that all confidences were off and he intended in future to speak the truth, no matter whom it hurt—Australian Press Association. Mr W. H. Lambert, member for West Sydney, and a former Lord Mayor of Sydney, assorted that the Theodore faction in Sydney secured his defeat in the recent pre-selection ballot for West Sydney as a reprisal for his having refused a b:-ibe of £BOOO to make way for Mr Theodore when the latter was defeated for the Herbert (Queensland), seat.