MALING AGAIN FIGURES IN GRAFT CHARGES IN SYDNEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18543, 17 August 1928, Page 5

MALING AGAIN FIGURES IN GRAFT CHARGES IN SYDNEY.

COAL CONTRACTS INQUIRY CONTINUES. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) SYDNEY. August 16. At the sitting of the Coal Commission to-day, Mr J. Mostyn, former Lord Mayor of Sydney, flatly declined .to produce an agreement between his wife and the Austral Investment Company and also flatly refused to answer any questions regarding the nature of the shares held by his wife. ITe submitted a medical certificate to say that his wife was too ill to attend. He complained that he had received his subpoena only last night. Mrs Mostyn entered the witness box later and declined to produce the agreement.

j Ex-Alderman English, who was called, ' also declined to produce a certain document and declared that he would not answer any questions relating to the inquiry until he had had an opportunity of consulting counsel. lie complained that while the authorities had been working for three months on the case, he only received his subpoena last night. Harry Moore, coal agent, gave evidence that he was informed in 1921 that unless a considerable amount of money was paid, his firm’s tender for coal would not be accepted by the City Council. Witness told of a visit to ex-Alderman Holdsworth’s hotel at Wool loomooloo, where he overheard a conversation in which it was stated that the payment of £SOO and a com mission of two shillings per ton were necessary to secure the Council’s contract. Witness also saw Maling who said that he could influence the placing of the contract if witness would pay two and a half per cent commission on the coal, allegedly to be sold in Melbourne. Moore, replied that this was an improper thing to suggest and that he would only tender on the merits of his coal. His tender was rejected. Peacock secured the contract and asked witness to sell him ten thousand tons. Witness asked Maling what it all meant and why, if his coal were not good enough for tender, it should go to the city through someone else. Maling said that he did not know that. Shortly afterwards Peacock cancelled the contract with witness's firm.

Richard Woof, former Superintendent of the electrical power house, admitted receiving payments of from £8 to £io monthly, over a period of seven years up to 1920. This was paid him by Johnston in notes. Once in 1918 he receded £3OO which he shared with Maling. Witness had received money from other contractors, some -if which was paid to Maling. At this stage the hearing was ad joumed.—Australian Press Association.