AVIATION SCANDAL

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1929, Page 5

AVIATION SCANDAL

M EL BO URN E EN Q UIRV. (Australian Press Association) MELBOURNE, Feb. 7. The Shepherd inquiry was continued to-day 7. Malcolm Lindsay Shepherd (suspended Secretary for Defence) said that when Colonel Brinsmead (Controller of Civil Aviation) and Captain Larkin (managing director of Australian Air Services) lie sent for them and heard their complaints. Ho told Captain Larkin to put his complaints in writing, but Captain Larkin failed to do so. Shepherd described as a malicious lie Captain Larkin’s charges concerning bis (Shepherd’s) manner of arranging his official files. Neither was there any truth in tlio allegation of bribery. ITo disliked intensely being on friendly terms with anybody. Mr Ham (counsel for Captain Larkin) : “I understand the fatherly advice you gave Captain Larkin was that a man of bis type should be a hypocrite to get on in business?” Shepherd: “Yes.” Air Ham: “You really mean that a man should be a hypocrite?” Shepherd: “Yes.” Mr Ham; “Do you really suggest that Captain Larkin thought it advantageous to bis Company to quarrel with the Head of the Department?” Shepherd : “He said so himself.” Colonel Brinsmead gave evidence, including references to various air contracts, chicily in Western Australia. Colonel Brinsmead went on to detail his relation with Captain Larkin, denying everything in the nature of bribery, and declaring that he never at any time gave a preference to other aviation firms. Colonel Brinsmead added : “For many years Captain Larkin lias made my life unhappy, with the result that T had to convince successive Ministers that T was not an unmitigated scoundrel. T may have said 1 was prejudiced against Captain Larkin’s Company. This man Larkin is the only man in the whole aviation world, from whom this sort of thing collies.” The inquiry was adjourned.