TIMBER LEASE CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26717, 11 March 1948, Page 7

TIMBER LEASE CASE

FEDERAL MINISTER UNDER FIRE DEFENCE COUNSEL CRITICAL N.Z.P.A. —Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. SYDNEY. Mar. 10. Allegations that the Minister of External Territories, Mr E. J. Ward, was "an unmitigated liar,” and that "no one would hang a dog in anything he said,” were made by Mr Simon Isaacs, barrister, in a scathing address in the Special Federal Court to-day. John Smith Garden, his son. Harcourt Garden, Edward Farrell and Raymond Parer were later committed for trial by the magistrate on charges of having conspired to defraud a Brisbane timber firm of large sums of money. Challenging the jurisdiction of the Special Federal Court to deal with what he described as common law conspiracy, Mr Isaacs, who was defending Garden, said: “The inevitable and inescapable conclusion is that this is not a genuine and bona fide prosecution, but a political smokescreen devised to protect Mr Ward. It deceives nobody and there is no rhyme nor reason why this court should be selected as the forum for these proceedings. “ The Commonwealth Crown is sticking its' nose into a prosecution which does not concern it one scrap,” continued Mr Isaacs. “The whole case, stripped of its veneer and frills, is reduced to a simple proposition and depends wholly and solely on Mr Ward’s veracity. Mr Ward gels no special consideration because he is a Cabinet Minister. It is not the first lime that a person without credence has been found to obtain a high position in a Government office. We judge Mr Ward not on any myth of sanctity but on his evidence in the box.” Mr Isaacs continued that Commonwealth investigation ' officers had not questioned Harcourt Garden, which he interpreted to mean that “ it was crystal clear he was merely a dummy for someone else.” It is palpable that Mr Ward has been untruthful, dishonest, and a cunning liar in these proceedings,” he concluded. Submitting that there was no case to answer against Farrell. Mr J. E. Cassidy, K.C.. said that the Crown evidence disclosed that Garden was merely an instrument of Mr Ward regarding negotiations for the timber lease. Mr R. J. Marr said the evidence showed that Parer was used in the deal because of his long association with the territory of Papua and New Guinea