CHARGES OF FRAUD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 71, 16 December 1937, Page 3

CHARGES OF FRAUD

♦ mu •— — Commission Set Up in New South Wales SALE OF STATE WORKS SYDNEY, Dec. 15. The Premier (Mr. B. S. B. Stevens) i tnnounced in the Legislative Assembly that Mr. Justice Halse Rogers ha-" been appointed as a Royal Commis sioner to inquire "into the truth of tlu allegations and suggestions made b the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. J T. Lang) regarding the sale of Stati enterprises. Mr. Stevens said that the commissio; would be framed in the widest terms s that the whole charges of fraud an. corruption could be inquired into. Mr. Lang asked the Government t pay the costs of his own legal advise and counsel to enable him to presen his case. It is believed that the rc quest will be refused. ' a cablegram from Sydney on. Friday, announced that after a bitter debate in the Legislative Assembly regarding the disposal by the Government of the State pipe works, the State brick works and the State metal quarries, in the course of which the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. J. T. Lang, alleged fraud and corruption on the part of the Government, the premier, Mr. B. S. B. Stevens, said that he would appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the charges if Mr. Lang would give evidence. Mr. Lang accepted the challenge and said he would welcome a Royal Commisssion. The matter arose from a bitter controversy in which it was alleged that shortly after the Government disposed of the State works the prices of the materialfi they produced rose sharply. The Minister of Looal ; Government, Mr. E. S. Spooner, introduced a Bill to provide for the constitution of boards to determine fair :and reasonable prices for the products (of the undertakings mentioned.