BRIBES RECEIVED

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1928, Page 4

BRIBES RECEIVED

BY UNION OFFICIAL. ! A STARTLING STORY. SYDNEY, Feb. 9. Of all the queer stories of intrigue told from time to time by Australian Labour officials the most startling was that of Mr T. Hoare, when he told the Stockton Borehole miners that he had received amounts totalling £597 for keeping the mine working. The company denies all knowledge of the payments, and whence the money came is a mystery. That Mr Hoare has a keen sense of the dramatic was instanced not only by his sensational announcement, but by the methods lie adopted to ensure that the allegations would receive the widest publicity. Late on Saturday afternoon last representatives of the Sydney Press in Newcastle, us well as the local newspapers, received mysterious telephone message to the effect that Mr Hoare would like to meet them at the Hamilton railway station at 6 o’clock in the morning on the following Monday. To enquiries as to the purpose of the appointment at such an unusual hour, no information could he secured beyond the fact that if the Press desired sensational copy the tryst had better he kept. The Pressmen duly kept the appointment, and with Mr Hoare, took the train to Cockle Creek. On alighting Mr Hoare walked across to the Stockton Borehole Colliery, and just as the whistle was blowing for work, he informed the miners that lie wished to address them in the local hall. The surprise occasioned by Mr Home’s unexpected appearance was considerably increased when he informed the men that he would reimburse them for the lost shift. The pit was accordingly shut down for the day, and the men trooped to the hall. A MAN WHO WINKED. Addressing the meeting, Mr Hoare said that about -eighteen months ago he had been approached by an individual in one of the Newcastle streets. ilie man had winked at him, and had said: “Look, Bondy 1 want to speak to you about Stockton Borehole.” The president said that his first leeling was one of righteous indignation and he felt like kicking the man. On reflection, however, he 'thought that there might he a good opportunity of finding out what was being done. He afterwards met the man by appointment, and lie was offered a penny a ton on the output of Stockton Borehole Colliery, the idea being that he should keep it working. The man later offered him a farthing per ton, and finally struck a bargain at one halfpenny a ton. Since then the following amounts had been paid to aim. £ll7, £14(5, £125, £B4, and £lls. Most of the business had been transacted in the bar of a hotel, the money being paid over in a room upstairs. Mr Hoare explained that he had not had to raise a hand to keep the mine working, and that the money he had been paid would be distributed among the wives and families, of tbc miners a, Stockton Borehole. " I want the world to know of this matter,” he said, “and I hope that the disclosure will result in a reorganisation ol the trade union movement.” Mr Hoare had told the man that he did not like taking the money as he felt that he was doing something wrong. The man replied: “Don’t be foolish. What von are getting is a mere lleabite compared to what others are being paid.” Mr Hoare said that the man had mentioned certain names, and just as he was about to disclose this information, a voice at the back of the hall shouted: "Not here, Bondy, it’s too risky.” And the information was withheld. Referring to the work which he had done lo earn the alleged bribes, Mr lioa.ro said that only olice in the past eighteen mouths bad the Stockton Borehole miners approached him. There had been no desire to cease work and lie bad been able to deceive the man that his efforts had boon responsble for the absence of any strike. The money lie received had been paid over to a clerk in the employment of the Miners’ Federation and .had been held in trust by the clerk’s father. In a subsequent statement Hoare exonerated the chief executive officers of the Federation front any suggestion that they also had received bribes. No doubt, he said, others who had j received money were feeling very ' anxious at the present time and wished that their conscience was as clear as his was. The Federation lost no time in summoning Mr Hoare to Sydney to give further particulars in regard to his allegations. Members will insist on the matter being cleared up and will ask Mr Hoare for proofs of his statement.