TIN HARE PERMITS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1932, Page 5

TIN HARE PERMITS

■ ’ /•' • 1,4 ‘' ' 1 tXfj, . !>• ALLEGED BRIBERY

OPENING OF COMMISSION.—'

(Australian Press Association.) 1 SYDNEY, July 13' * Mr Justice Hals© Rogers, sitting, as a Royal Commission opened to-day an enquiry into charges arising from the issue of mechanical liar e license*) and permits for fruit machines. Mi; Monahan,. K.C., who is assisting-' the' Commission,, in a lengtihy opening ll ’ address, said Ghat evidence in regard to the fruit machine permits would indicate that there had been bribery and corruption to secure immunity ’ from prosecution. In December, 1930, there had been deliberate Ministerial sanction for the use of fruit machines in .hotels, despite their illegality according; to the Crown ruling. Other phases ,of the 'inquiry would- '•re-' veal bribery and corruption in- connection with proceeds, .which should bo ear-marked from the machines fo.r;. hospitals. . 1.-. r Evidence was then, opened in regard to the re-introduction of mechanical hare racing. , ' ■.. -vitut

FURTHER FRAUDS ALLEGED*

-SUM OF £3OOO INVOLVED.? !

SYDNEY, July-IS* At the inquiry, Mr Monahan added that the -evidence would disclose that three thousand, pounds, were paid -to somebody , who.-,was,; Able; to .ensureiA.a •large number of these gaming;: - * ima-; chines being installed in various hotel-? Such an offer was made to Mr - Tra.utwsin, licensee 'of, the City ,-Hotel,), by Mr L. Smith, one of the Directors'of Automatic Machines, Ltd., which-p osnessed these machines. Mr. Trftutwe'in told a, detective, that Mr Smith actually gave him nine hundred pounds to be paid to Mr pil’d, or Mr Graves, Trades Hall officials, for, getting legislation through. i><v 'Mr Trautwein also told 'a ’ detective 'that he later Ihdd handed the money, back to Mar. Smith,, for which he r got a. receipt. Evidence would also be given* in regard to relations, extremely -friendly/ at first, between Mr Smith and the Hospital. Mr , Love. , ({.} : The - latter'played a prominent- part in getting the machines back into the hotels ‘ after they,, had been -banned, for, although/.tpey.p,were, illegal, a Lang Government Mr Ele-y, had. recommended that / ,,ftlheii 1 . reintroduetjon should be apprpyed . for a temporary period, -providing}’-that 45 per ce-ntU of "the' gross of? thg machines w-elit to hospitals. For the i; t\Yo months that they were in ’ operation*--.:, she., .-hotel collections were; •in the-.vicinity, efntw-enty thousand sterling, and-there..,were •• no-, fewer -th&ji forty thousand tokens or discs for ma--chines unaccounted for. -Thus, -said./Mr Monahan, charity-rqihad been kind of stalking-horse. The publicans; (bought the tokens, for foui'pence. half? penny, and -sold, them) to the public! for sixpence, : . tr