POLICE AND BRIBERY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18222, 5 November 1924, Page 7

POLICE AND BRIBERY.

ALLEGATIONS EMPHATICALLY DENIED "A CONTEMPTIBLE LIAR." The adjourned application for a land agent's license by Bert William Munns was taken in the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr H. Y. AViddowson, S.M. On October 14th last Bert William Munns, private enquiry agent, of 319 Hereford street, made the allegation in the Magistrate's Court that certain information had come* to him that the Land Agents' Association had bribed the police in Clu-istchurch with the sum of £2OO. Munns was applying for a license to carry oil business as a land agent. After Munns had refused to go into the witness box, the hearing was adjourned until yesterday morning, when the Chief of Police had something to say regarding the author of the bribery allegation. Eric John Tayler, secretary of the Canterbury Land and Estate Agents' Association, opposed the application on the grounds that the character and financial position of the applicant were not such that he was, having regard to tlw.Jntereste_.of the public, a fit and proper person to carry "on business as aland agent. Munns was a few minutes late in putting in an appearance. "This case was fixed for 10.30, I 'think," said the Magistrate. A few moments later Munns peeped in at the rear door of the Court ana then vanished.. Mr Thomas: Munns is in the passage, your Worship. Then Munns entered, apologising for keeping the Court waiting, and stating

that he wished to withdraw his applies lion. With that, Munns also withdrew himself. Superintendent "W. H. Mackinnon, Chief of Police: An allegation has been made, your Worship, that the police have been bribed to oppose the application. I give an emphatic denial to that statement. The author is a contemptible liar! No one belonging to theAssociation came to the police in any shape or form. The author of the statement is an assassin of men's characters ! Mr Thomas: I realise that your Worship will appreciate the fact that the statement made was a pitiable lie. But unfortunately some sections of the oublic an? bound to think that where there's smoke there's tire. The whole thing is an utter fabrication. The Magistrate: It is not worth while paying attention to such a remark. No- man of any sense will credit the remark for a moment. Of course there are some people ; n the world who would think there was some truth in it. and it is just as well that the Chief of Police attended. The public, with any sense at all, knows that there is no such thing as "graft" in New Zealand. Mr Thomas, in his application for costs: This case is a serious one from the Land Agents' Association's point of view. Extensive investigations have liad to be made and Munns's Wellington history has been dipped into freely. Enouiries have also been made into a Kaikoura transaction. The whole thing has been an expensive business. As a. matter of fact, the affidavits disclose some rather astounding things. "Costs to the amount of £5 5s will be allowed," said the Magistrate, "to be r>aid forthwith."