CIVIC CORRUPTION

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18365, 24 April 1925, Page 22

CIVIC CORRUPTION

SYDNEY'S PLIGHT.

COMMISSIONER'S FINDINGS,

(raOXI OCR OWX CORRESrOSDEST.)

SYDNEY, April 1G

From the investigation conducted by a Royal Commissioner (Mr Lamb) into certain phases of Svdnev's civic administration, the City Ocmncil emerges with its honour considerably besmirched. The Council and its decisions have long been the butt of the cynical. Humours of bribes, jiraifc and other modes of corruption havo been current for the term of more than one Council, but the average ratepayer is a casual person whose complacence is hard to disturb. Ho prefers to growl at the cost of civic government- and pay up rather than go to the polls and record his vote lor favourably known candidates. There were four distinct matters investigated bv Mr Lamb. One concerned the surrender value of municipal premises, occupied by a boot store, which having been damaged by fare, the Council desired to obtain possession of in order to rebuild on a larger scale, The charge was that certain aldermen had received a "cut, or were prepared to receive a "cut, ox the difference lietween tlve surrender price recommended by the City Surveyor and that which the Council proposed to give. Mr Lamb found proved the charge against one alderman, an Independent named Walker. Walker was similarly indicted on a charge or receiving a Vibe to secure the. toun> til's permission for the- installation or a footpath petrol pump pn a sito which the traffic police had refused to approve. Agamst.a second alderman, Burke, a prominent Labourite, Mr Lamb found project a charge of corruption in regard to tiie lowering of tho pavement in iront ol a wool warehouse. But for this slur on his name, Burke would probably have been elected Lord Mayor for the current vear'bv his party, which was successful at the polls while Mr Jf'"». 8 investigation was proceeding. On his own admission. Burke made only £lO a. Year out of liis business—a commission agencv—and he asserted that he won enough out of racecourse wagerm? to live in good style. Yet Burke's colleagues are freelv stating that they are onlv waiting for the end of the year to elwose him as the next Lord Mayor. Then perhaps tho "tumult and the shouting" will have died. A fourth charge investigated by th? Commissioner concerned a cartage contract. Nine months elapsed .between the receipts of tenders and the acceptance of one of them. Mr Lamb again found Alderman Walker guilty of corruption and indicted the Labour aldermen of the last Council as a whole for "persistently voting against acceptance of the lowest tender without adequate reason, and without due regard to the interests of the Council."

Now the Press and public- are asking, What's going to bo done? The state of affairs revealed by tho Commissioner has proved that a commercial organisation ' conducted on the lines of th& Council would fail in quick time. Civjo government by a Commission "is being more and more widely advocated. Tb.*» State Government is considering Mr Lamb's reports, probably with a view of instituting criminal prosecution, pr giving Mr Lamb power to widen bis enquiry. But the. most likely result', seeinc that the Labour party is mainlv inculpated, is that the Nationalist State Government will seek a mandate at th« forthcoming elections to ti&hten up'civid administration, and thereby liavo another slogan with which it can entice votes from its principal political enemies. . ;