BRIBERY IN BUSINESS.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 348, 9 January 1912, Page 2

BRIBERY IN BUSINESS.

A conference of representatives of trade bodies and employers pf labor, convened to further the efforts of the Secret Commissions and Bribery Prevention League, m making .known the Prevention of Corruption A,ct of 190G and , enforcing its provisions, .. was recently held at the Mansion Hotise unde«the presidency of the Lord- Mayor (Sir Vezey Strong). The Act was promoted by tne London Chamber of. Commerce, which . has also . strongly supported measures for enforcing, it and .making it known more widely. • -Ji , .

Sir Edwardi Fry, who was one; of the prominent agitators for the Prevention of Corruption- Bill before it became -law, wrote m unavoidable absence: {'I am afraid that there is a large- body of persons, especially' in' the Weiilthifei' classes, who are indifferent not JoMyVfcb the loss which they themselves ' BUStain from the existence of secret commissions j but also to what" is far. more ,im-portant^-the degrading .effect on the morals of their households, ■■; ;■ , . * The' enactment which requires the fiat of a law-officer of the Crown before instituting a prosecution is ' injurious m many ways, and beneficial m none." The Lord Chief Justice expressed the view : "If only temployers would realise that it is their duty to assist their etaployees m refusing these commissions, I think greater- progress .would be made." . '

— Remedying Bill Framed. — \vMir David Howard said, it \va.s necessary that the people should -be educated to the dangerous and despicable character of secret commissions and bribery;; It M v as true that the league got more kicks than thanks, but that should not deter them m their efforts t0v. 6.6 what was right and stamp out the evil. He moved— , : " ■'■■.'■; ' ■•;;■

: That this conference^ - ; being of opinion that bribery is still i rampant and corrupting all classes, and being convinced that national support was urgently needed for the working of the Secret Commissions; and Bribery Prevention League m educating public opinion and, where necessary, 1 institutingproceedings under the^Prevention of Corruption Act, 19,06, trust' that those who are m sympathy with the objects of the league v will endeavor to assist m their attempt by becoming members. ..

• Mr St. Loe Strachey, v said secret commissions were, twice cursed— they cursed those who gave and those who took. Bribery, and illicit commissions—the handle, to fit which r was secrecy^— shook businesses to their vfery f ouhdatibns.^ ; Thp of AttorneyGeneral should certainly be. got rid of. It was the possible mistake to piit^obstacles in'the way of bringing to justice thpse who were guilty of* taking secret commissions.. (HearY.hear). Colonel Sir Edward Ward, said he had beck requested by Lord Haldarie and the members of the Army Council to express their sympathy ' with the objects, of ■ the leaguo. : '.■; . Major-general Robb said m days gone by ithey. had no doubt noticed -that ill time of war we had been unprepared, and commissariat and transport had had to be secured at almost a &omeilt's notice. Then at the end it had been found, that someone . had f alien to , the wiles of the tempter. He trusted thtit such a state or things would never recur. '■: '■■ • ' .'"•■ ■ ' .■■■■■' " •'. v - ■•:'•

,Qne speaker desired to draw attention .."to one notorious offender—^^jhe National Post ' Office, ifhich did notrPay its' men adequately t and sent ffiexn round at Christmas time for Christmas boxes." v Hea*, hear", and M Oh " and "No, no.") '■■■■■'• f ; ■ % > [The Lord Mayor: That is, not a subject I should pursue' if I were: yfcu. Th^ra is bound : to be differences 'of opinion. (Hear, hear.) . v .■: The Secretary of thY league said a fßill had been' framed, to rentoye the fiat of the Attorney-General, and was no* under 1 the consideration of 'certain .departments' of the Government/ It would be introduced m the "next •session oi "Parliament. ;•; . -■'■•*»' " Ijfr 'Stanley vMachin, of vthe London Chamber of Cbmiiierce, m moving; a rvote of thankß to .the Lord May^r, said' inquiries made' 'by the Chamber jie f em-osented prior- to the. passing of the Act made vone blush for ' shame at ths doings of some commercial L concerns/ not only m high but m low quarters.