BRIBERY STORY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 116, 14 February 1928, Page 9

BRIBERY STORY

FORMER MINISTERS ALLEGED TO BE IMPLICATED FURTHER STATEMENT BY HOARE , AND A DENIAL By Telegraph.—press Association. COPYRIGH- . Sydney, February 13. The Acting-Premier, Mr. E. A. Butteushaw, will place before a meeting of Cabinet. to-morrow a request by the Central Council of the Miners’ Federation that a Royal Commission should be appointed to investigate the allegations of bribery concerning the Stockton Borehole Colliery. Jilinisters generally take the view that the Ministry sliould postpone its decisions until Mr. Bavin returns from New Zealand on Saturday. Dlr. Hoare, who made, the allegations, addressing ail aggregate meeting of miners at Cessnock, read a letter which he said he had sent to Dlr. J. DI. Baddclev, Minister of Dlines in the Lang Cabinet, which read: ■■While in attendance at the Stockton Borehole Colliery I was pressed by speakers to give the names of those who had been mentioned to me. I refused till I had had the opportunity of letting you know that it was you and that you had a beautiful mansion at Bellevue Hill and that what I received was only a fleabite. I replied at the time by saying that I had been a Rip Van Winkle.” \ Dlr. Hoare explained why he had waited so long before exploding his bombshell. He wanted to get sufficient money so that nobody could say that it was liis money lie was paying’ in for propaganda purposes. The name of Dlr. Willis, another of Mr. Lang’s Dlinisters, was also mentioned. Dlr. Baddeley says that he has received Dlr. Hoare’s letter. He says that the suggestions contained therein are entirely without foundation. “I have absolutely no property at Bellevue Hill,” he added. BRITISH IMPORTS AND EXPORTS RETURNS FOR FEBRUARY London, February 12. British trade returns for the month of January show that/imports decreased by £13,188,000, and exports increased bv £4,321,000, and re-exports by £445,000. The principal decreases in imports were grain and flour £1,925,000, coal £5,212,000, raw cotton £3,456,000, iron and steel and manufactures thereof £2,014,000, oils and fats £1,517,000. In exports the chief increase was in coal, £1,216,000. The Beading increase in imports was: Dutiable food and drink £1,055,000. In exports the principal increases were: Iron, steel, and manufactures thereof £665,000; machinery, £810,000; cotton varns and manufactures thereof, £760,000; woollen yarns, £521,000; vehicles, £894,000. UPWARD TENDENCY OF EXPORTS Rugy, February 12. The Board of Trade 1 eturns for January disclose that the upward tendency of exports was maintained during the month. Compared with £55,500,000 in January of last year, the total of the exports last month reached £59,500,000. Imports fell from £113,000,000 in January, 1927, to £100,000,000 last month. The increase shown in exports was well distributed, but the recoveries shown in some larger industries is noteworthy. The cotton goods exports exceeded those of the previous January by £760,000. Increases were also shown in leather manufactures and artificial silk goods. There .was a sharp decline in coal exports.— _ British Official Wireless.