CEMENT COMMISSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16572, 3 November 1921, Page 2

CEMENT COMMISSION.

MR MASTERS’ EVIDENCE, (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 3. At the Cement Inquiry to-day Mr R. Masters, M.P., gave evidence. He said lie made his speech iu the House in what lie believed was the public interest. He made no financial gain as a result.. On the contrary the speech was made after full consideration. It had been suggested that he made the speech after receiving a letter from Wilson’s Portland Cement Company. < This was impossible. ’The letter was dated September 27, and was passer! I on. to him by his firm. Ho did not • know when be received it, but it was ; impossible for the letter to have j reached him when lie made the : speech. The only information he had at the time was that the Wilson coin- ; pany had circularised. its agents stating that liiE firm would be supplied i with Wilson’s cement in precisely th» ! same terms ae those agents. It was i absurd to suggest that lie made the j speech out of pique as the result of the letter dated September 27 cancel ling that decision. On May 11 wit j ness’s firm received a le®er from the j Golden Bay Company asking it to help it out of a difficulty by taking as much j cement as possible and offering terms. : These; were such as had never been i offered before or sought, and such aa the firm did not consider were ; necessary. Then every concession the j company made to the firm was passed on to sub-agents if supplied. Continuing hie evidence Mr Master* stated that he hod a discussion with Mr Luttrell on the question of closing j down the works. The question of George Elliott’s name never arose. : Witness had suggested that it was uit wise to close down the works and that very likely the matter would bo brought up in Parliament. Public opinion would be. very much against closing dotvn. Mr Luttrell said ho didn’t give' a damn for public opinion. He was out for liih own interests and i ! that after oil public opinion was only i a nine days’ wonder. Thefo was no ; discussion whatever as to tho oontinj uano© of Mr Masters’ agency. Witness naturally concluded that the j agency would go on when the works j re-opened. ! Tho Solicitor-General has commenced i his cross-examination.