TWO INSPECTORS CHARGED

Southland Times, Issue 25738, 31 July 1945, Page 3

TWO INSPECTORS CHARGED

Alleged Acceptance Of Bribe COMPLAINT LAID BY STOREKEEPER

(p A ) AUCKLAND, July 30. ' Two inspectors employed by the Rationing Controller, Joseph Walshaw Harvev. aged 58, and Anthony Lockery, aged 30, stood trial before Mr Justice Cornish on charges of accepting a bribe to interfere wtih the due administration of justice. There were three counts in the indictment, which referred to happenings that were, alleged to have taken place at Herekmo, North Auckland, on June 29 and 30. The first count charged the accused with demanding by menaces £5O from Steve Lunjevich, a storekeeper. The second alleged that, being public officers employed for the detection of offenders, t£ey accepted a bribe of £5O to interfere corruptly with the administration of justice and the third alleged that they had attempted to obtain such a the prosecution, Mr G. S. R. Meredith said the charges were alternative and the Crown did not asx for a conviction on more than one. Ihe accused were rationing inspectors employed to administer the Food Control Regulations. The complainant was Steve Lunjevich, a partner in a general store at Herekino, who was visited by the two accused on June 29. They introduced themselves as rationing inspectors, and after checking over ms stock they told him he was 44 bags of sugar short. Lockery said this was a very serious matter and that a storekeeper in Wellington had been fined £2OO and sent to gaol fpr two months for a similar offence. A furflier inquiry reduced *the shortage to 25 bags. The accused told Lunjevich that the only way the matter could be fixed up was by him paying them money to square two men higher up. Lockery suggested £lOO and Lunjevich said he would have to see his boss. Later £5O was agreed upon and Lunjevich tneieupon went off to see his solicitor a<, Kataia. The police were communicated with and a trap was set. When the accused returned to the store next day Sergeant Harrington and Constable Molloy were concealed in the store and they accosted the accused as they were leaving with the £5O that by arrangement Lunjevich had handed over to them. UNUSUAL CHARGES Mr Meredith said that such charges fortunately were very unusual and Government employees were almost universally honest. However, during wartime there had been a tremendous increase in Government officials and this necessarily meant a greater possibility of unscrupulous and unsuitable men being employed. It was suggested that in this case they had come upon two such men. Steve Milan Lunjevich, a partner m a general store at Herekino, gave evidence on the lines of counsel s statement. . . , , . A question arising about the admissibility of evidence, Mr Henry, counsel for Lockery, said the defence was suggesting that the witness had been manipulating coupons and that he had offered a bribe to the inspectors. This was more than a suggestion. It was a definite statement. His Honour: They took the bribe and then were apprehended by the police? Mr Henry said it was a departmental matter. The matter had been fully discussed by the officers of the department.

His Honour: It is an extraordinary thing. The Crown is bringing an action and it becomes the defendant. It is a new development to me. After further evidence the hearing was adjourned.