THE SUGAR COMMISSION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143781, 3 May 1912, Page 3

THE SUGAR COMMISSION.

THE COLONIAL SUGAR CO. REFUSES TO CUT ITS OWN THROAT. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. SYDNEY, May 2. A serious situation has been created at the Sugar Commission. Mr. Knox and other directors of tho Sugar Company failed to attend. Mr. Kater, chairman of directors, wrote stating that Mr. Knox, tho manager, knew all that he and the other directors knew. Tho directors had decided that he should represent them.

Mr. Knox wrote a long letter, in which he declared that as he had not been supplied with a copy of tho evidence, as promised by tho commission, he was unable to rebut statements which were untrue. Therefore, ho could not submit himself for examination or cross-examination.

Mr. Justice Gordon, chairman of tho committee, declared that ho did not know of any right of the company to dictate as to who should give evidence. Dealing with Mr. Knox’s letter, he stated that the excuse scorned very like a shuffle. Regarding tho statement that the commission had promised to supply a copy of the evidence, he characterised the statement us “a deliberate lie.” He had only said that he would not object to the reporter supplying a copy if it did not interfere with his work. The reporter found Hurt it did interfere. He mentioned that the company had two shorthand writers present at all tho meetings oftho commission. Mr. Knox’s excuse was not genuine, and was delivered in covert defiance of tho authority of tho commission. So far tho commission had met with little success so far as any revelations with regard to the company were concerned. All the officials of the mills did not know whether tho mills were working at a profit or a loss. Muffled secrecy pervaded tho whole arena of the company’s service in tho city. Ho would not take upon himself tho responsibility of authorising tho prosecution of those gentlemen for not attending, but would leave it to tho Federal Government.

The commission has adjourned for a week.