THE BRIBERY CHARGES.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15272, 23 June 1923, Page 5

THE BRIBERY CHARGES.

MINISTER VINDICATED.

CORRESPONDENCE SUBMITTED. HOUSE ACCEPTS EXPLANATION. By Telegraph.—Special to Times. WELLINGTON, Friday. The Minister of Education, against whom a charge was laid the day before by two of Mr Wilford’s executive (Messrs Masters and Vcitch) that he had wilfully, with a set purpose and off his own bat, decided to grant a District High School to Morrinsville in the Tauranga electorate when the election was pending, and for the purpose of attracting votes to the Government candidate, replied to the charge, Hon. G. J. Parr came to the House armed with all tile reports and cor-, respondenec on the question, and made a full statement of the position which was to the effect that the Auckland Education Board, the School Committee, the Senior Inspector, and the Council of Education —in fact, every authority that could possibly guide him in arriving at a decision —were in agreement that a High School was needed at Morrinsville, and that the alternative proposal that the children to be benefited should travel to Hamilton, was out of the question owing to the long periods they would have to wait coming and going in trains. It was merely an accident of time that the school was established at the time of the election. Four others were established in various parts of the country at the same time. The Council of Education, which had authorised the Minister to 1 establish provisionally high schools where the attendance was guaranteed did not mefet till June, and if the school were held over pending their authority, which was granted yesterday,‘the children would have been prevented from enjoying the benefits of secondary education.

The House accepted the explanation, but the two members who laid the charges -were apparently not satisfied, as they kept interjecting to the Minister, asking for the date tile Inspector signed his recommendation. If those members have the key to some mystery attaching to the business they arc in possession of some unrevealed fact that the House does not understand. In the meantime the Minister has entirely cleared himself of the charge of bribery and corruption levelled against him.