BRIBERY CHARGES

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1929, Page 7

BRIBERY CHARGES

i\)I.ITICIA.\ INVOLVED. Ai.MAZING KVI L EX( E. S) DXEY, Dec. 27. There has b.ei: 1111 • amazing c\iii iiv c tcndcicd iii Sydney in the cu.m* igaiasi .Michael j* itzgibbons.. a i> oioriti.H proprietor, who lias beoa coiamitred for trial on a charge of atlempting o iofl uino llit* t iini Kecrctait AD' lirmitiioll, a formor Salvation Army fiicei ) i:y means of bribe. r i’ht* ca-i .or tlu> o.'osei a Lion depended on the evidence of a member of the SlnLe Legislulive Assembly, Mr Jarv't*. who aid tiiat lie left on the Ciliiei Socrc;arv‘s table two nines and an envelope which was subsequently discovered to • •ontain two £IOO notes. 'llie.se, Air iarvie said, were given to him by Fit/., gibbons, but Ik> denied knowledge ol the fact that ill, re was money in tho •nveloue. The defence was that the money was intended as a contribution to the funds of the Nationalist Party, hut that Mr Jarvie was not given c-J,K). but 'Hie mystery of the has no yet been cleared up. Al •iarvie denies that he received it.

Tin* evidence that £so'!' had passed caused a sensation in tin* Court. it was given by Arthur Albert Cooper, superintendent of the Public Service telephones, who said that lie had been a close friend of Fitzgbbons for a number of years, but bad never bad any business dealing with him. C oopei said that in Friday. November 30 th Fitzgibbons telephoned him and gave him certain advice. The following day Fitzgibhoii took him to Nowrn, where lie saw .Jarvie, who is a major at a military camp. - -larvie enquired from Fitzgibbons if There was anything fresh and Fitzgibbons replied no. -Tarvie then said: “Well Fitz, old chap, Tin sorry to get you into this mess but you stick to wliat- T said, that T know nothing of the £2OO being with the parcel of pipes, which wen* for the Minister, and that the £2OO was for Partv funds, and 1 don’t think that von will hear any mere about it. I think that the matter will he settled.” Fit/.gihhons replied: “I gave you £SOO for a sooeific purpose, and it lias been misapplied. 1 want that money hack Jarvie replied: “Net l' it/-. I think that you had better get it back, because if tbe detectives find it in my possession it will lie difficult to explain a way.” Upon Jarvie remarking that- be would return home the following day, Fitzgibhons said that lie would call and pick mi the money. Jarvie replied: •‘No don’t you come Fitz. for God’s sake, because if we are seen together it may complicate matters.” The following night, Cooper said, he and Fit/.gihhons drove to Jarvic’s residence. Witness knocked at the door and when Jarvie came to the door witness said to him: “I have come for the money as arranged. ” Jarvie wont inside and returned with -s me notes, which he handed over. Tie said that (her- was £3OO in the handle. It was too dark for witness to sr-c the demon:nation of the notes. Jarvie declined to go over to the car to see Fitzgibbons. saying that it would he -hotter if he did not. AVh.cn witness readied the car he examined the notes, and found that there was only £2OO. On December oth witness called on Jarvie •it Parliament House by invitation : .„d Jarvie then inquired whether Fit/.gihhons was going to stick to him Witness replied Chut Fitzgibb'ms had made a statement to the police, and he supposed that ho would have to stick to that. Tie had advised Fit.z--rji,lions to toll the whole truth. H<* al-o told Jarvie that Fitzgibbons had placed the matter in the hands of hi.-i solicitors. Cross-examined, Cooper said that (lie reason for Fitzgibbons’ trp to Xowra was Lint: Fitzgibbons was not satisfied with Jarvio’s altitude, and lie desired an explanation. On the way home Fitzgibbons said that it strange of Jarvie to hold .the £3OO and suggested that Jarvie was “double hulfling.” Cooper also said that Jared* paid for the ease of mpes, ami it was after Jarvie had lott the pare. l •,t the office of the Chief Secretary Mint he heard from Jarvie* tint Ur* detectives were making enquiries. Jarrj« told .Fitzgibbons to say that the muiev was for the Parly funds, and • hilt the ease of pipes was for the '’hd-l' S'.;>'-:el:iry. Filz> r ibl*<>ns said that „* was swept ' fT his fed. hv the -cstion. and agreed. C ’opcr then tol :■ Fi I /-gibbon sthat lie had been a fool tint he had got himself -into senilis trouble. Jarvie has indignantly denied O’at ,-ver received £.TXI from Fitzg’.band denied Ihe wimle of the *Lory fold by llie witness C-on r. It ; s .’-vpeeted that more will be heard ,f ifie transactions when the case dims oil for trial in February.