CORRUPTION CHARGES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 4 September 1936, Page 5

CORRUPTION CHARGES

DIRECTED AT MINISTERS COMMISSION MAY INQUIRE. PresQ Association Electric Telegraph ConrriSht PERTH, Thursday. Charges of corruption directed at certain members of the West Australian Ministry by Mr E. Hughes, member for East Perth, are likely to be the subject of a Royal Commission. Mr Hughes, speaking in the Legislative Assembly, alleged that shareholders in the Labour newspaper, “Westralian Workers,” had been defrauded of the controlling ownership by an organisation Idd by the Premier, Mr J. C. Willcock; that £721 had been taken from union funds to defray the expenses of - Mr Gray, Honorary Minister, who was prosecuted for an election offence, which was followed by a free pardon for Mr Gray; that bookmakers were promised immunity from prosecution if they contributed to the Government’s expenses at last election, for which they contributed £350; and that the Goodwood Race Club, which is privately owned by a Victorian millionaire and run by a. legislator, was never prosecuted although committing an offence against the criminal code. The Deputy-Premier, Mr M. F. Troy, stated to-day that the Government intended to take all steps necessary to protect itself and the persons mainly concerned in Mr Hughes’s attack, these being the Premier, Mr Willcock, who is at present ill, the former Premier, Mr P. Collier, also the chairman of the Agricultural Bank, who is a former Minister of Works, Mr A. Mc- ' Callum. Mr Troy added that no decision regarding measures to be taken would be made until Mr Willcock resumed duty. . .