CIVIC SCANDALS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 17, 15 August 1928, Page 6

CIVIC SCANDALS

CORRUPTION ALiLfcGED. t SYDNEY COAL CONTRACTS. SYDNEY, August 14. « Giving evidence to-day, before the commission inquiring .info 'the allegations of corruption in connection "With the Sydney City Council coal i 'contracts, Nicol Peacock, a coal ■ agent, said that while he was en- -' deavouring in 1921 to place a confetjpaet -to supply the Sydney City '■/ Council with 30,000 tons of coal, Jie ' was told he would probably be HSk- > ed to pay some money over if successful. Witness had replied that if he had to he supposed he would. The tender was accepted, and he ■ was told £3OO was to be paid and that Maling would bei.Sn"' at certain. , street to receive the money. Witness took the £3OO in an envelope to. the place mentioned. James Johnston, formerly manager for ■Byrnes, Ltd., who had made the arrangement, was with him and handed the envelope 'to Maling, who looked inside and then drove off ,* Peacock said he. also.paid Woof, the city council's mechanical .superintendent, sums of money from time to time because Woof conv ; v plained he had had nothing: for himself. Witness paid Woof on a ton--age rate, a halfpenny or a penfy a ton for nine months. -" Woof told him he: had received £IOO from Johnston, but none of it was fox, himself. _' ' .- ' , ~ James Johnston, said sums of i money had been paid-for commission on the coal from the early days in 1921. He was after the contract ' on behalf of the Central Coal, Shipping Agency when BranmstoU told him that Alderman Farrell could get It through for '£2oo. He gave the money to Farrell and secured the P contract. . : '! - m *si W itne3 s had previously seen Mal- , dng, who told him he would secure .the contract if the, nwney.were paid. He told Maling he would'give £ISOO commission on a tonnage basis. Subsequently £I2OO was paid, Woof leaving £3OO for Maling, who was advised of this by telephone. , The hearing ha s b ee l adjourned,