BRIBERY ALLEGED

Southland Times, Issue 20675, 22 December 1928, Page 7

BRIBERY ALLEGED

GIFT TO MINISTER CHARGE AGAINST BUS PROPRIETOR CASE OF PIPES AND £2OO (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) Sydney, December 21. The hearing has begun of a charge of bribery against Michael Fitzgibbons, an omnibus proprietor. The Chief Secretary, Mr Bruntnell, re lated that Major Jarvie, a fellow Parliamentarian, brought him a gift of pipes to which was attached an envelope containing two £lOO notes. Fitzgibbons was an applicant for a bus route which required Mr Bruntnell’s official sanction, for which Fitzgibbons had a rival named McNichol. Mr Bruntnell refused the gifts and interviewed Jarvie, who said he did not know the £2OO accompanied the pipes. Detective. Morgan interviewed Jarvie last Saturday and said to him: “I hear an uglj r rumour about you getting £3OO out of this transaction.” Jarvie replied: “It is incorrect. I am an honourable nun. I know I look foolish in the eyes of the public.” He added that he did not know the £2OO was in the envelope with the pipes. A statement was also obtained from Fitzgibbons, who declared that the pipes were a present for Mr Bruntnell as a mark of appreciation of the time and attention he had given to the bus route application, but the £2OO vvas intended for the National Party’s funds. Milton Jarvie gave evidence that he was with Fitzgibbons when the pipes were brought. He saw nothing improper in a gift of pipes to a Minister from one of his constituents, but he nad no idea £2OO in notes went with the pipes. The hearing was adjourned.—Australian Press Association.

A message from Sydney on December 4 states: A case of pipes and an envelope containing two £lOO notes, it is alleged, were placed on a table before Mr Bruntnell, the Chief Secretary, some days ago by a prominent Nationalist member on behalf of an Ashfield constituent. The incident has now developed into a first-class political censation. The Premier. Mr Bavin, directed the Crown Law authorities to prosecute the person alleged to have been responsible for the attempt to bribe the Chief Secretary. The Premier is of opinion that the £2OO was evidently intended to influence the Chief Secretary to favour a certain proposal. Mr Bavin is desirous of dispelling the illusion at once that Ministers are open to corruption. Mr Bruntnell at the outset declined the. gifts and directed a departmental attendant to return them immediately the Nationalist member had left the room. It was then that the innocent envelope containing £2OO was discovered secreted beneath the case of pipes.