ATTACK ON MR. GARDNER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 117, 20 May 1932, Page 12

ATTACK ON MR. GARDNER

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY NEW GUARD FASCIST LEGION. EX-MINISTERS CHARGED. Alleging that members of the late Lang Ministry had entered into a conspiracy with a former member of the New Guard to commit the recent as sault on Aiderman J. S. Garden, Mr. Weaver moved for a Royal Commission of inquiry in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly last week. He said that ' c had information that a Captain Warneford, by Government instruction, had been receiving £6 a week from the police vote to incite illegal and criminal actions by others, and to procure breaches of the peace. He also alleged that Warneford had organised a group, known as the Fascist Legion, without the authority of the New Guard.

Mr, Weaver moved as a matter of urgency that the House should forthwith discuss following motion:— “That the action of certain Ministers of the Crown in entering into a conspiracy with a man named Captain Warneford, a late member of the New Guard, to bring about a breach of the law by committing an assault on one Jock Garden, demands an immediate public inquiry by means of a Royal Commission.”

When the motion was put, Government members loudly dissented, but agreed when they saw the AttorneyGeneral, Mr Lamaro, occupy a chair at the table on the floor of the House. Breaches of the Peace. I Speaking to his motion demanding a Royal Commission, Mr. Weaver said: “It would appear from information given to me that the Government has been authorising payment out of the police vote of £6 per week to this man Warneford for an illegal purpose. Without the knowlcdg of senior officers of the police force, this paid agontprovacateur has, under Government instructions, set out to incite < hers to illegal and criminal actions and to pro cure breaches of the peace. Acting under instructions from the Government, he organised a group known as

the Fascist Legion, consisting of New Guardsmen and others, without any authority from the New Guard. As a result of this agent’s activities, an assault in company was committed upon Mr. Garden. “Frightening’’ Mr. Garden. “The persons concerned in this assault had been coached merely to frighten and not to injure Mr. Garden. Garden himself was party to this illegal act, and the names and addresses of the members who would bo used in the assault were in the hands of cer tain of the police two days before the assault occurred. It is clear, there fore, that certain Ministers, certain police officers, and others, are guilty of a criminal conspiracy to commit an illegal act and to cause a breach of the peace. They are guilty of conspiracy to implicate the loaders of rn organisation known as the New Guard in a crime which the Ministers themselves and others inspired.”

The Attorney-General, Mr. Lamaro. said that Mr. Weaver had made state ments either out of his own imagination or ho was told something by someone else. Now, who told him? The only evidence, according to h’ speech, was that of Mr. Weaver himself. He had the authority of the Cl ' f Secretary, Mr. Gosling, to say that Mr. Gosling had never hoard the names of either of the men mentioned by Mr. Weaver. If Mr. Weaver had 'd that he had a man who was willing to go into the witness-box and repeat the things he had said he might have sot up a case. There was no legal member of the Opposition who would say that I Mr. Weaver had made out a case for |the appointment of a Royal C munis sion. Obviously there was no ease 1" 'answer. As a matter of fact, the bion who were charged pleaded guilty. Inquiry by a Magistrate. “I accept the Minister’s challenge.’ ’ said Mr. L. O. Martin. “Th At tor ney-General says there is no evidence. The Minister himself should bo the very first person to demand a c< nnission. Here is a definite accusation that the Chief Secretary and certain members of the Government ” At. this stage the uproar in the Government benches became such that Mr. Martin could make his voice heard onl, intermittently. The Premier: They have denied | that, accusation. T also have denied it. What more do you want than that? Mr. Weaver asserted that the whole operatioi* u - ’ Zipen rehearseij MMac

body made arrangements with Garden, who sinqo the assault had e pressed himself in terms which would be dis closed later on. After further discussion the motion for the appointment of a Royal Com mission was negatived by 35 votes 1 ) 20. On the following day the Lang Government reversed its attitude and an nounced that it would appoint a niagis trate with the powers of a Royal Com mission to inquire into Mr. Weaver’s charges. The Federal Government also decided to appoint a Royal Commission to investigate all the recent allegations regarding the New Guard, including al legations that military officers had divulged confidential information.