DARWIN ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 February 1920, Page 3

DARWIN ENQUIRY

DR GILRUTH EXAMINED

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyrignf .*

(Received this day at 12.25 p.uO Melbourne; Feb. 12. Jusfice Ewing has resumed the Darwin Enquiry. Doctor Gilruth was examined. Ewing asked Gilruth if he was aware it had been sworn that while he was at- Darwin, he was part owner of Arrino lease. Gilruth replied—Yes, it was a claim, not a lease.

- Replying to further questions Dr Gilruth, said a grant was made by him to Judge Bevan, and a man named Hope. He told Bevan he would take a third share. He admitted he had approved of the grant to Hope without sufficient authority, Justice Ewing asked ii’ . “knowing that Hope was not the real owner, you advanced money to develop the grant to- help you own and Bevan’s mining ventures.”

Gilruth replied—“ That is what it amounted to.”

Ewing pointed out that Bevan had sworn that none of the advances to Hope were ever paid hack to the Government, and that by the merest chance he had discovered that Gilruth and Bevan were interested in the venture. Gilruth replied that anyone could have told Bevan was in ib, but probably no one knew that he (Gilruth) was in it. Gilruth denied that lie was part owner of the Daly mine, but he advanced Hope money upon it, and inter made himself responsible for one half of any loss that might be incurred. He undertook this responsibility without receiving any interest in the mine. He wns° not aware that Bevnn’.s and IHopq’.S banking account was opened by money paid by himself. Dr‘Gilruth admitted the granting of a lease of three thousand acres to a man named Palmer, but he was not a partner of Palmer,