GRAFT CHARGES

Wairarapa Age, 15 August 1928, Page 5

GRAFT CHARGES

EVIDENCE BEFORE COAL COMMISSION. BEQUESTS FOB PAYMENTS. AN AGENT’S ALLEGATIONS. United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph—Copy righ t. (Received Tuesday, 8.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 14. Nicol Peacock, coal agent, gave evidence before the Coal Commission that while endeavouring in 1921 to place a contract to supply the Sydney City Council with thirty thousand tons of coal, he was • told he would probably be asked to pay some money over if successful. Witness replied that if he had to, he supposed he would. The tender was accented and he was told ‘that £3OO was to ba paid and Maling would be in a certain street to receive the ntoncy. Witness took £3OO in an envelope to the place mentioned. Johnston, formerly manager for Byrnes, had made an arrangement , with him and handed the envelope to Maling, who looked inside, and then drove off. Peacock said that- he also paid Woof, the City Council’s Mechanical Superintendent, sums of money, from time to time because Woof complained that he had had nothing for himself. Witness paid Woof a tonnage rate of a halfpenny or a penny per ton /or nine months. Woof told him that he had received £lOO from Johnston, but none of it was for himself. 1 James Johnson, ex-manager of Byrnes, Limited, said that sums of money had been paid for commission on coal from the. early days. In 1921 he was after a contract on behalf of the Central Coal Shipping Agency, when Bramston told him that Aiderman Farrell couM get it through for £2OO. He gave the money to Farrell and secured! the contract. Witness had previously seen Maling, who told him that he would get the contract if the moqey wfrre paid. He told Maling that he would give £l5OO commission on a tonnage basis. Subsequently £l2OO was paid Woof, leaving £3OO for Maling, who was advised thereof by telephone. The commission adjourn®d.-|-(Austra-lian Press Association.)