PAYMENTS MADE IN AUSTRALIA

Southland Times, Issue 24545, 20 September 1941, Page 7

PAYMENTS MADE IN AUSTRALIA

CORRUPTION ALLEGED LABOUR MEMBER DEMANDS INVESTIGATION CANBERRA, September 19. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr J, Curtin, asked a question in the House of Representatives, which intrigued fellow members and caused wide speculation over what lies behind the “mystery” question which, inter alia, referred to a “grave matter in relation to public administration.” The reply of the Prime Minister, Mr A. W. Fadden, was that he had already set the essential machinery in motion. Sensational allegations relating to the use of Government funds for purposes not approved by Parliament were made by Mr Curtin. This was the sequel to Mr Curtin’s mystery question. WAR COUNCIL TO MEET A special meeting of the Advisory War Council has been convened for Friday to enable the Prime Minister to place important information before the Labour members. On the motion for the adjournment late last night allegations of corruption in the payment of money to individuals without sanction of Parliament were made by a Labour member, Mr John Ward, who demanded that the full facts be placed before the House. During the debate, Labour members said it was being suggested the money was being used to bribe certain trades union officials. Mr Fadden told the House that limited funds had been used to combat subversive elements. In a special Press interview at midnight after Parliament had adjourned, Mr Fadden said the fund was a legitimate fund which had existed in Australia for some years before the war. It was similar to funds existing in other countries where there were secret service departments. For obvious reasons details of the payments made from the fund could not be disclosed. VISIT TO MR CURTIN Mr Curtin later stated that- he received a visit at his hotel last Saturday from a man who handed him documents unfavourable to the Prime Minister, also allegations regarding the purposes of certain funds administered by the Government. Mr Curtin satisfied himself that the man was in possession of documents which should have been available only to the head of the Government. He was also convinced that the man believed the information would enable a political attack to be launched on Mr Fadden. Mr Curtin said he had lost no time in acquainting Mr Fadden with the de- | tails of the mysterious visit. He had also handed him a copy of the docu- | ments. ; The Attorney-General, Mr W. M. Hughes, today repudiated the suggestion that public funds were being used for improper purposes or to bribe union officials. Mr Hughes added that fantastic rumours were going around suggesting that the fund to which Mr Curtin referred must have run into millions. The cold . facts were that the total expenditure ( from this fund for some 20 months had , averaged £240. ; BUDGET AWAITED J The Labour Party has agreed to wait ' for the Budget before launching an at- ] tack on Mr A. W. Fadden’s Adminis- < tration, and it is unlikely to occur until ] early in October. I Mr Fadden admitted today that, as i Prime Minister, he felt like a spectator , 1 at the Beckett-Carpentier prize fight 1 (which was the shortest championship i bout on record) who said: “It’s a good < fight, wasn’t it?”

This humorous admission was made at a Cabinet luncheon to the new United States Minister (Mr Nelson Johnson), who paid a tribute to the Australian method of government as a glowing manifestation of that freedom of speech - for which the world was clamouring. “It goes without saying that the Empire air scheme must be continued as long as the war lasts,” the Minister for Air (Mr J. McEwen) said today. He was commenting on the forthcoming London conference, which he described as “an early discussion on something which is to happen after 1943, when the present agreement expires.”