Corruption in War Contracts

Levin Daily Chronicle, 5 March 1918, Page 1

Corruption in War Contracts

ACII.'iAIT iv-j-j. , '0r. i ;rj £58,000 COKKISSXOI*. 8.-\?.RIS r i-r;ii x'i;.i"i3D £6000. A ioi:;\i ens,, to a sudden end i-ceat!y at the Old IS.silcy, London, when tJio clisu-gb was withdrawn against Liout.-Commandor John Cyril Portc ; 8.K.A.5., and the other defendant, William A. yiu'son, ;i barrister, aged Go, was ordered to pay lines amounting to fGOOO. Defendants were charged with conspiring with rcforencc to commissions on Admiralty contracts. "When the case came on, the Attorneytiencral saiu' that ho would offer a case of "nolle prosequi" in tho caso of Porte. Porto, at the outbreak of the war, had unreservedly offered his services to the country, and was now suffering with a distressing and dangerous malady—hemorrhage of the lungs. He was dangerously ill. The Admiralty did not wish to be deprived of his services, as ho was engaged in work . of great national importance. Some £48,000 —which Porte had received by these commissions, with the exception of £10,000 —which he had disposed of —ho would return.

The Judge, addressing Casson, said: "You have pleaded guilty to 12 ofEcnee's The crime of corruption is grave—it pollutes the individual, it saps the righteousness of the State. Honour, sacrifice, duty, and integrity are violated in the secret crime. You are now in the winter of your life,and the burden. of broken health ha;; fallen upon you. You must realise (hat punishment for an offence against the law docs not end with the uttered sentence of tho Judge. It reflects upon your wife, children, and relatives. I order you to pay £500 for each of the offences—£(3ooo —in all — and the costs of (lie prosecution." Tho'Judgo ordered that all money received illegally in commissions should be handed buck to the authorities.

Tho Atturnpy-Geenral said that tho Crown realised that Casson had not the resources' to pay such a large sum of money. The line could be deducted from tho amount received in commissions and

ho b:i lance hamlc-d back to tile authori :ies.

.C:u'':'Ou, it was.mentioned, had reeciv d £1(),000 in commissions.