BRIBERY CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 21, 20 October 1943, Page 5

BRIBERY CHARGES

Case Against Aucklander (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

(Special Correspondent.) LONDON, October 18. A former Aucklander, Rex Morley Hoyos, who arrived in London iu 1931 representing Matahina Forests _and who married Lady Waleran in 1935, figures in a case at Bow Street Folice Court. As managing director of Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Limited, he is accused of corruptly making gifts of £lO6O and £2OO to Harold Lavers Armstrong, Director-Gen-eral of Aircraft Production at the Ministry of Aircraft Production, and to Henry George Bloss, Deputy Director-General of Aircraft Production, who are summoned respectively for accepting such gifts. The prosecu,tor said that when it was proposed, to increase the production ot Senfires, Armstrong and Bloss. recommended Hoyes’s company, which got a £1,250,000 contract on January lo for making 250 Seafires. While negotiations were going ou Armstrong received two cheques for £5OO and Bloss one for £-00. Armstrong repaid Hoyes on March 3. Hoyes was seen next day by Superintendent Burt, and threatened to.have the matter raised in the House of Lords. At another interview he got very excited and said lie would see the Prime Minister. Bloss, when questioned, buried his head in his hands and said: “I see I have been trapped. What a fool I am. 1 thought I was wise. I can see through it all now. I will help you all I can. Armstrong, in an alleged statement, said he had been in financial difficulties over super income tax. \ , The hearing was adjourned to November 3. , .