GRAFT DID NOT HURT INTERESTS OF CITIZENS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18496, 23 June 1928, Page 12

GRAFT DID NOT HURT INTERESTS OF CITIZENS.

SYDNEY COMMISSION GIVES ITS DECISION. (United Pn*ss Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, June 22. The report of Mr Justice Harvey, the Royal Commissioner, who investigated the allegations of graft in connection with certain city contracts for the supply of plant for the electrical works, finds that Arnot, the Sydney representative of Badcock and Wilcox, had as a result of interviews with Maling, then Deputy Manager of the Electricity Department, committed his company to make a payment for distribution be--tween Maling and certain unnamed labour aldermen, as the price for securing the Sydney City Council’s acceptance of the tender of the firm of Badcock and Wilcox. The Commissioner finds difficulty in tracing the moneys after they had reached Maling’s hands, but the evidence leads to the belief that the money was paid to ex-Alderman Green as Maling suggested. The Judge prefers to rely on the account of the witness Albert, of the financial dealings in connection with the receipt of the moneys from England, than on that of Maling, who proved an untrustworthy witness. Regarding ex-alderman Holdsworth, the Judge says that he believes that Holdsworth did approach Arnot with a request for a money payment to secure his support for the firm’s tender. There is no evidence to support the suggestion that the International Combustion Company was privy to the action of its Sydney manager, Hutchinson, asking the company to cable £15,000 for “preliminary expenses.’* The Commissioner considers that the citizens’ interests are unharmed by the corrupt bargain between Arnot an,d Maling, and the Babcock-Wilcox tender would probably have been accepted if there had been no bargaining, or promise of money made.—Australian Press Association.