LARGE SUMS FOR BRIBERY

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1931, Page 7

LARGE SUMS FOR BRIBERY

IMPEACHMENTS PROBABLE FRENCH BANKING SENSATION POLITICAL CRISIS. LOOMING RESIGNATIONS NUMEROUS By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 10 p.m. London, Jan. 14. Charges of bribery and corruption arising out of the failure of the Oustric Bank and associated concerns in November involving the defeat of the Tardieu Cabinet are likely to cause a second political crisis shortly, says the Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail. As an outcome of a Parliamentary commission’s inquiries three prominent exMinisters will probably be impeached before the Senate and High Court on charges of corruption. Witnesses are daily revealing an almost incredible state of affairs in which bankers and financiers are alleged to have set aside large sums for bribery of Government officials, deputies,' exMinisters and police heads. Numbers of high officials fin the police and other Government circles have resigned during the past few days. £1,000,000 BELIEVED INVOLVED TWO MINISTERS RESIGNED THEN M. Oustric, founder of the bank, was arrested on November 28 and charged with frauds exceeding £10,000,000 by manipulating Bourse prices by-means of a newspaper called Bourse et Finance, which published fictitious quotations. Following the arrest MM. Falcoz and Lautier, 'members of M. Tardieu’s Government, resigned, as they had relations with the Oustric Bank and “wished to be free to explain their connection with the bank to the. commission of inquiry which is appointed.” M. Tardieu asked the House for a vote of confidence. After a passionate speech by the Premier there was a stormy debate in which the Opposition suggested that the Government was seriously affected by the Oustric case. M.. Tardieu at that debate secured a vote of confidence by 293 votes to 270. The smallness of the- majority caused a sensation in Paris. Later M. Tardieu had to resign,