From Prison Cell To City Couneil's Confidence!

NZ Truth, Issue 1188, 6 September 1928, Page 1

From Prison Cell To City Council's Confidence!

Chairman's Silence

■ <♦ — Was "Sir" Robert Gunter Paid Ratepayers' Cash For Expert Report On Traffic Problems? SIDELIGHTS ON ROMANTIC^AREER OF CLEVER IMPOSTOR I (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

IF THERE IS ONE NAME, the mere mention of which is sufficient to induce a prickk) sensation under the collars of the members of the tramways department of the Auckland City Council, it is that of Gunter, the man whose very presence m the Queen City at present is a stinging reminder of an episode m civic history the traffic big-wigs would be glad to forget. But an incident such as the advent of Robert William Gunter into the intimate fold of Auckland's transport administrators cannot, m view of all that has transpired, be brushed aside with impunity — nor can his association with the Council be dismissed with an airy wave of the hand. The story of Gunter, prince of bluffers, champion egoist and self -confessed purloiner of aristocratic titles to which he is not entitled, the man who knows the inside of His Majesty's prisons, both m New Zealand and Australia, is the story, m part, of how the Auckland City Council fell for Gunter with a hard bump— much to its subsequent sorrow and bitter heart-burning.

WALKING out' of Mt. Eden gaol, where he had served a sentence

on a charge of having m his possession a stethoscope which the police said had been come by dishonestly, and also on a charge of being idle and disorderly, Gunter had a wash and a brush-up, made a trip to the smartest tailor and outfitter — and then, his head j up and shoulders back, he walked straight into the sanctum -sanctorum o* the tramway department, of* the City Council and was employed as an expert to compile a report on the city's traffic problem, which report was to pave the way for the Commission that was m contemplation at the time. .__ But, marvellous to relate, none of the. .astute "city councillors" dreamedi'of connecting Robert W. Gunter with -the gentleman of the same name who had heard the police describe him m court some months before as "the biggest parasite the country. had seen." . And, of course,.it was hardly to be expected that the traffic "heads" of the city would associate the well r educated, cultured - voiced Gunter with the "vag." who had figured m the, police list. ' - Nor did they encounter any hesitancy or sensitiveness on the part of the traffic expert who came to help them

Not Just Eyewash

out of their worries like an angel from heaven.

He came, he saw and he conquered, not m the role of a "con." man, but as a real, genuine traffic authority who delivered a report to the Auckland City Council which was authoritative and not mere eyewash.

This much has "N.Z. Truth" been able to glean from A.E-. Ford, manager of the . tramways department — that Gunter certainly knew all about transport, matters and parts of his report "were good.".

Ford also admitted that Gunter was "a clever chemist."

And Gunter is back m Auckland, after a further spell m gaol m Australia, asking that *he be given a square deal and th&t the public be made aware of his side of the story of his association with the City Council.

It is not too much to say that the City Council, and especially the traffic bigwigs, would disown Gunter entirely if they oould.

To be taken m by Gunter, so to speak, a few days after the gaol gates m their own city had . opened to release a "vag." who had done time, is a bitter pill which the council has swallowed with the utmost difficulty.

The fact- that Gunter was competent to 'prepare the report he was engaged to prepare, now cuts no ice whatever with the big-wigs who employed him. If there Is one name theywish to forget, it is that of Gunter, who, by the irony of Fate, put over the oleverest stunt of his chequered career and made the biggest stir Auckland has. known for many a

Dignity Humbled

year when his intentions were genuine and without guile.

The laugh is definitely on the City Council— and the whole city is laughing, at the cupidity of its civic heads, who, though they may have obtained vaiue for whatever cash they paid Gunter, are to-day feeling that then dignity has been humbled m the dust by their association with the man who has been the cause of their present discomfiture.

To be told that they employed as an expert the man whom the police described m an Auckland court some months previously as . "the biggest parasite who ever came to the country," is certainly a bit thick.

No wonder the chairman of the tramways department, J. A. C. Allurn, was all hot and bothered when approached by "Truth" on the subject.

However, this association between -the council and Gunter occurred m January lasfe

He compiled hia report, delivered it, was paid, he states, £125 and then set sail for Sydney/ gravelling m a stateroom, which, he contends, was booked for him by the tramways department.

He reimbursed the department for his passage out of the cheque and claims that on the day of his departure ha lunched, with Ford. :

Assuming the title of "Sir Robert Gunter" on the Marama, he maintained the role m Sydney until arrested by the police. He served six months' imprisonment and was deported back to New Zealand.

Barely had he landed m Auckland than he was calling on "Truth" with a catalogue of observations, complaints and general reminiscences.

Guntei-, finally, made a sworn statutory declaration which is m the possession of this paper — and thus set m train a series of investigations which have y : ielded~mueh piquant Jnf orniiation cdncerhing Gunter and the City Council. ' :■- -.■."■■.•'.■'■

He asks that his side of the.' story be told and that he be given the right to settle down to earn : an honest living. His chief complaint is that the whole of his private papers, which were m his possession when arrested m Sydney, have not yet been returned to him, although he has written formally demanding their return from the Commissioner of Police.

In his declaration, Gunter has this to say about his dealings with the council. . . "

"While compiling my report for the Auckland tramway authorities, many suggestions were made by Messrs. Ford, Allum and Morgan for incorporation m the report.

"In a great many cases these suggestions were helpful, but as to others I felt that as the report, was to be absolutely unbiased, I could not accept them and they were not inserted. . .

"The only evidence to support aA\ that I say m regard to discussions with Messrs. Ford-, Allum and Morgan, and their suggestions, is held either by the police m New Zealand or m New South Wales, and would also be contained m the shorthand notes of my typist, Miss Batten, which she may still be holding.

"On my arrest m Sydney, the fifth copy of my report, which is my own personal property was m my possession. There were other papers of a purely personal nature. At the time

A Traffic Expert

of my arrest I was discussing the report with one of the Civic Commißsioners of Sydney.

. "When I was finally shanghied from New South Wales, via Sydney, aboard the Marama, I was handed a bundle of documents, which I took to be all my personal papers, but on going through them I found that every document relating to my work for the Auckland City Council, as well as. the report, had been retained by the police ...

"Among the papers held by the police are a number of City Council maps, balance-sheets — m fact, all matters appertaining to the evidence which I expected to be called upon to state before the commission.

"Also there were letters of introduction to William George Goodman, Adelaide tramways, the manager, Melbourne tramways, Mr. Doran, of Syd- l ney tramways, chief engineer of the Sydney tramways and one of the three I commissioners of railways m New South Wales." , Gunter states that he used the introduction to Doran and Myers, the latter being the. chief engineer of the Sydney tramways. ■ ' Through Doran, he says, he met the leading authorities on transport m Sydney and was asked to report on. the whole system of transportation m that city. Gunter also declares In his sworn statement that he was paid £125 for his Auckland report, which he addressed and delivered to Allum, as chairman of the committee. He asserts, also, that the tramways department booked his boat passage to Sydney and that he reimbursed the department out of, his cheque. As to his report; he makes a general charge that much of it was used m evidence before the transport commission. He claims to have met Ford m London when he (Gunter) was acting m the capacity of efficiency engineer to the London General Omnibus Company, although he did not have much to do with him there. \ It was Ford whom he approaohed m Auckland m the " first place, Gunter states, and declares that it was he who suggested that he ahould compile a

"I received a contract m letter form from the City Corporation, covering the terms of my engagement, and I rented an office m Franklin Road on the recommendation of Mr. Ford, who told- me the Council authorities did not want me to work round the Council buildings, as they were resei'ving, me as a bombshell for the Commission ... "Apart from this," he goes on to state, "I had free access to every office m the building and a pass allowing me into any garage or depot during the day or night .. . ... ■„.;. ■'- •"Further/: a ;/ Council ; car Twas '^jface^; at my disposal during the wholte of the' tune I. was making my report." Gunter then added a bright social touch by claiming that he had frequently dined with Ford at his house m Remuera, lunched four days a week . simiiimuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiiiiniii

(ItUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIHIIIMIIIII

with Morgan and Clark, and on one occasion dined with Allum at his house m company with Ford.

That, m brief, 16 the general outline of the story which "Truth" set out to investigate.

In the first place, Gunter's wish is to put his story before the public, if for no other reason than to show Auckland ratepayers that he was not -putting, anything across them when the traffic "heads" took him to their bosoms.

Of Gunter's education, there can be no question. He claims to have been ducated at Bedford, Trinity Hall,' Cambridge, London University and College, London.. -

Confirmation, m part, of his educational claims, comes 'to ■ "Truth" from none other than Rev. Jasper, Calder, the Auckland city missioner, who has been "giving Gunter the glad Hand" since his return from Australia.

While he could not say definitely, the missioned told "Truth" that he thought Gunter Had attended King's College, London, at the same time that he was there, Gunter being m the engineering section.

He had checked up on his statements as far as possible and had no reason to believe that Gunter was not telling the truth so far as his scholastic claims were concerned.' Gunter also presents an imposing array of big jobs held by him for various responsible transport bodies both m England and America, including the position of efficiency engineer to the London General Omnibus Company. Whether these claims of his are justified or not, there is only Gunter's word for it, as he is not m a position to produce 4iny v of his pri vate papers- and' documents,- which were taken from him oh his arrest m Sydney arid have not, he alleges, been returned to him. Little credence was attached by "Truth" to any of Gunter's own statements. They were all sub-

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jected to the acid test of a rigorous check-up.

Expert on traffic or no expert, Gunter is a man of many parts, quite accustomed, on his own admission, to putting over m high places blatant selfadvertising stunts and author of many hoaxes of which he is wont to talk with gusto. '■'•''

His impersonation of a mythical "Sultan of Zanzibar," for example, when he bluffed/according to the story he tells, the mayor and corporation of Portsmouth, also the admiral superintendent of the naval .dockyards, who accorded the "Sultan" and party a State luncheon on one of His Majesty's battleships!

No wonder tfce tramways department of the Queen City fell for him when he flourished his English credentials and talked them out of sight on traffic problems. ■ ■.

What, then, have the traffic "heads" of Auckland to say about this plausible — and, let it be borne m mind, seeminglycompetent—Gunter, who has been the cause of so much gnashing of teeth m high places?

As Gunter olaimed to have had moat £0 do yr\sb Ford, Jh© tramway* man-

ager, "Truth" called upon him and submitted a few questions.

The reception was quite cordial, although Ford showed pretty plainly that he wished he had never heard of Gunter.

Ford was given a summary of Gunter's statements and admitted that he had prepared a report, "parts of which were good." But Ford emphatically denied that he had ever seen Gunter until he came m contact with him m Auckland, notwithstanding Gunter's statement that he had met Ford m London when acting as efficiency engineer "for the L.G.O.C. .■■'■;■•' Ford also denied with /emphasis that he had mixed socially with Gunter during the period he was preparing the report. Gunter had never lunched or dined with him, he declared, and the only time he approached anything like s social footing with him was on the day of his departure, when, m /response to insistent requests from Gunter, he had one drink with him just before he sailed. It was not true to say that the Council had placed a car at Gunter's disposal, nor had any office been provided for him. Any office he had secured was his own affair. Nor had they booked his sea passage. Ford was then asked about Gunter's report. "Is it a fact that you made j suggestions to Gunter about his report?" was the first question on this subject.

"Certainly not," replied Ford. ."I had nothing whatever to do with it."

"Is it true or untrue that portions of Gunter's report were quoted as evidence before the Commission?"— " None of the report has ever been used. The report was of no use whatever, m view of Gunter's record."

Ford was then asked direct whether he had a copy of Gunter's report and whether he was prepared to show it to "Truth.'V

His reply was that he did not pos-

Ford's Admission

sess a copy of the report, and, m any Gase, "you had better see the chairman." /

When asked how he came to introduce Gunter to the tramways department^ Ford answered that he did not do it on his own.'

"He showed me credentials from England purporting to be signed by well-known people I had met when 1 was there. He also talked about traffic matters m a way that showed he knew a great deal about them."

"You were not aware that Gunter had just served a term m gaol m Auckland?"

No, Ford was certainly not aware of it at the time.

As to Gunter's credentials, Ford said that he had since been given reason to doubt their bona- fides and had heard that Gunter had secured his, job on the 1j.G.0.C. by false pretences. "Will you show us the letters you have had from England about him?" he was then asked! SFord did not rush m to oblige. He would have to consult his solicitor abo,ut that matter. He was then asked if it were a fact that he had supplied Gunter with testimonials to traffic authorities m Australia prior to his departure, following the completion of his report. Some confusion arose on this poifit as to what constituted a testimonial and what was merely a letter of introduction. That he had given Gunter any testimonials, Ford would not admit for a moment, but he admitted that ho had given him letters of introduction. Ford was then referred . to Gunter's complaint ' concerning his private papers and the copy Of his report which he alleged were held by the police. He was asked straight out whether he had these letters of introduction returned to him; Ford replied that he had. It was pointed out to him that this was. singular, as such documents, when presented by the owner, were copies of the originals, which were retained by the person whom they were intended to introduce., Then^jFord, m reply to a definite jlueßtlbnaa to the source from which • ■'•'' '■)>*&s■.'.. - "' ■

he had obtained back his letters to Gunter, made a surprising admission. At first, he was not disposed to state the source, but when it was put direct to him as to whether he had received them from the police, he said: "Yes." "From the New Zealand police or the police m Sydney?'.' he was asked. But he declined to answer. Ford had a few words to say about "a nice little blackmail" that Gunter was putting up, alleging that he was going round the city threatening to have Ford's job and telling people that if i they went round to "Truth" they would be paid for information. This latter allegation was given an xin^ualified denial" by the ; representa--tives of this ■ paper, irisofar-T^s^any offer of payment for information was concerned. "Well, that is what Gunter is going round and saying," said Ford. At', this stage the interview closed with a query from Ford as to what "Truth" intended to write-up. "The story will be treated, entirely on its merits," he was informed. "Well, you boys must play the game," was his parting shot. From Ford's office a call was paid on Allum— and by a coincidence Ford ar-

rived almost simultaneously with the representatives of this paper. "Well, what can I do for you?" was Allum's greeting. He was given a brief summary of the information required and proceeded at once to get very hot under the collar. "Is it a fact that the tramways department paid Gunter £125 for his report on transportation?" Allum was asked. The question excited him considerably. "Are you not insulting me; are you not entering my office to offer me a gratuitous insult, asking me to enter into a discussion about a criminal?" he blustered.

He was politely informed that his mental attitude towards the question was most difficult to understand and reminded that it was not the policy of the representatives of "Truth" to enter any man's office to offer him a gratuitous insult.

"Well, I refuse to discuss the matter at all or answer any questions," he said— and from that attitude he refused tp shift.

Gradually, his excitement waned, but not before he had issued a stern and portentous warning as to what he would do "if you publish anything that is not correct. I will take the most prompt action . . ."

Ford then chjpped m and added the weight of his warning: as to what would happen should "Truth" overstep the border.

So muoh, then, for Ford and < Allum.

Meanwhile, where is Gunter's report

Feverish Anxiety

and why has it not been made public, covering, as it does, a matter of great public interest? "Truth" has no reason to doubt that Gunter was paid for that report, but on this aspect a close secrecy prevails. If the Council has paid £125 of the ratepayers' money for Gunter's services, they are entitled to the fullest information concerning the whole transaction. The feverish anxiety on the part of the Council and the tramways department to avoid publicity, as exemplified particularly, by the reception given the representatives of this paper by Councillor Allum, can be understood, all things considered. . It is not pleasant for them to reflect on their association with a man of Gunter's pepuliar temperament and versatility as the prince of bluffers, although bluff did hot enter into his dealings with them when they engaged him— straight out of gaol as he -was— to put them wise on traffic. "How could, we have been taken In co?" What a shock to their dignity — and what a joke! But the laugh .Is on the Counoil and/ not" on Robert WG., the man who put it oyer,