Mining Scandal

Evening Star, Issue 19789, 13 February 1928, Page 5

Mining Scandal

Royal Commission Requested

Startling Disclosures by

Mr Hoare

Ex-Cabinet Ministers Implicated

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyrigat.

SYDNEY, February 13. , (Received February 13, at noon). The Acting-Premier, Mr M. Butteushaw, will place before a meeting of the 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. The Ministers generally take the view that the Ministry should postpone decision until Mr Bavin (the Premier) returns from New Zealand on Saturday.

Mi - Hoarc, addressing an aggregate meeting of miners at Ccssnock, read a letter whicli ho said lie had sent to Mr Baddeley, a Minister in the Lang Cabinet, whicli stated: “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. 1 refused until 1 had had an opportunity of letting you know. It was yon that said you had beautiful mansions at Bellevue Hill, and that what 1 received was only a ‘ flea bite.' I replied at the time hy saying that 1 had been a Rip Van Winkle.” Mr Hoare explained why he had waited so long before exploding his bombshell. He wanted to get sufficient money so that nobody could say it was his money he was paying in for propaganda purposes The name of Mr Willis, another of Mr Lang’s Ministers, was also mentioned.

SYDNEY, February 13. (Received February 13, at 12.30 p.m.) Mr Baddeley says that ho received Mr HoaiVs letter and stales that the suggestions contained in it are entirely without foundation. “ I have absolutely no property at Bellevue Hill,” ho added.