AUSTRALIAN SENSATION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1507, 11 December 1918, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN SENSATION.

FINDINGS OF COMMISSION. By Cable. — Press Association. — Copyright. (Rec. Dec. It, 12.20) MELBOURNE, Dec. 11. The report of the commission shows that the Shaw wireless works were purchased for £55,000, though some valuations were obtained that placed the value considerably below this figure. They included much obsolete and other material useless to the navy. The commission finds that Mr Jensen disregarded the advice of Rear-Admiral Clarkson and the engineering expert, and took the advice of an inexperienced subordinate oflicer: that the valuation paid no consideration to the utility plant to the department; 11 at certain facts were not placet! before Cabinet; that the works were purchased at a price much in excess of their value. Regarding the purchase of the steamers for £ISOO and £7500 respectively, the commission slated that after their purchase they were found to be quite unsuitable for the purposes intended, and had to be used for other purposes. Tenders which were invited for the purchase of these vessels only brought offers of £IOOO and £305. Mr Jensen, in a statement in the House, contended that the commission's findings were not in accordance with the evidence, and that he had been attacked by the commission for carrying out the policy of the Government and thereby refusing to be tied down by the Naval Board. The Ministry had asked for his resignation, but they would not get it. He feared nobody. He hud done nothing wronc Senator Long, who, according to the report, admitted receiving £I2OO from Father Shaw, as a gratuity, obtained permission to make a statement in the Senate later. [Befcrcnce to this matter will lie found on Page 5.1