STOCKTON BOREHOLE INQUIRY

Evening Star, Issue 19788, 11 February 1928, Page 11

STOCKTON BOREHOLE INQUIRY

QUESTION OF BRIBERY STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, February 10. (Received February FI, at noon.) In an official statement telegraphed from Hobart Mr B. N. Kirk, one of tho directors of tho Stockton Borehole- Collieries, staled that he paid Mr Hoare a bonus to keep tho mine working. Ho says that for a long time tho colliery was subjected to “ irritation ” tactics and lengthy stoppages, and the situation became intolerable. It was thought that the president of tho Miners’ Federation might be disposed to' consider an arrangement for maintaining peace, and it seemed worth while paying him an insurance premium based on the tonnage output to secure continuity of work for the colliery and to induce tho men to obey the awards. Air Kirk says: ‘’l did not disclose tho details to flic co-directors or the secretary of the company, who were quite unaware of the payments made to, or through, Air Hoare. Such payments were made by mo out of tho selling commission paid to jne by the colliery company, and from an allowance made to me by the Broken HTd Proprietary Company, who were anxious to keep the pit regularly at work in the interests of tho steel works.”