Council Will Sift Cr. Murrays Charges

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 221, 7 December 1927, Page 1

Council Will Sift Cr. Murrays Charges

inquiry next week past evidence disclosed Cr. Murray must place a written etatement in the hands of the town clerk by Saturday next, or the special committee set up to hear his charges of waste in the engineering department will report to the City Council that it has nothing to add to its previous reports. If the charges are laid in writing she inquiry will continue next Tuesday, and, according to Cr. Murray, will not be over in a day. He will lave the right to have a solicitor and i stenographer present, but not his lecretary or adviser, variously described as "he” and “she.” When Cr. Murray first made charges before the City Council early In November, he stated that carts were jsed to move metal 24 or 33 feet, and that thousands of feet of kerbing and pitchers had been over-ordered and that there had been purchasing without proper authority. He mentioned having secured signed statements from two men, Irvine and Wootton. EVIDENCE GIVEN It now transpires that these two, Isaac Wootton. of Grey Lynn,, Robert Irvine, of Edendale, and in addition Jswald John Ashton, of Wellington Street, gave evidence before the committee at its sitting on November 23, alter Cr. Murray had retired. Wootton said he had been supplying the council for 20 years, quarrying and stone cutting. He said he bid not start work until he got an fflcial order from the purchasing department. The town clerk pointed out that, according to Cr. Murray, he (Cr. Murray) had a statement in which Wootton said he had supplied 20,000 feet on a verbal statement. W'ootton: But that Is impossible. I hid J had no order when the big orders were given out. Witness said he signed a statement which Cr. Murray wrote down, but he had no copy, and bed not read what was written. , Witness said Cr. Murray and Mr. undon called on him together. Witnase told Mr. Lundon he had had fair ud square dealing, and Mr. Lundon orplied: “Will you go along and see Slr - Murray. It might be beneficial 10 Tou if you went to see him. I Suppose you want a constant job.” Withess said he always got his inters from the department, and had 10 produce them to get paid. He fought he was benefiting the cutff by making the statement to Cr. 11 array. Irvine said he told Cr. Murray that had offered to supply kerbs and Pitchers, but this was refused be'kse there were large outstanding inters. He also signed a statement reading it, but he knew what = s said. He had not supplied direct 1 the council, and had never been Pud by it. Ashton gave evidence on the sublet of spreading metal, and said this ■‘‘erred to ScherlT Road, over which -.ring construction, it was impossible ; Set a cart. He denied that there -W been any waste at all in shifting _ 'al. Where barrows were less ex./3,iTs they were used, and every‘“mS was done to the best advantage.