BRIBERY SENSATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 529, 5 December 1928, Page 11

BRIBERY SENSATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES

PIPES AND BANKNOTES LEFT BY MEMBER FOR CHIEF SECRETARY I (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) SYDNEY, Tuesday. Detectives this evening served a summons on a suburban omnibus proprietor whose name was not disclosed, charging hiqa with attempting to bribe Mr. A. Bruntnell, Chief Secretary of New South Wales. A first-class political sensation has developed (said an earlier message) from a case of pipes and an envelope containing two bank notes for £IOO each, whioh it is alleged were placed on a table before Mr. Bruntnell, some days ago, by a prominent Nationalist member of Parliament, on behalf of an Ashfield constituent. The Premier, Mr. T. R. Bavin, today directed the Crown Law authorities to prosecute the person who is alleged to have been responsible for the attempt to bribe the Chief Secre- ; tary. The Premier is of opinion that the £2OO was evidently intended to influence the Chief Secretary to favour a certain proposal. Mr. Bavin says he is desirous of dispelling the illusion at once that Min-r isters are open to corruption. Mr. Bruntnell at the outset declined the gift, and directed the departmental attendant to return it immediately the Naionalist member had left his room. It was then that the apparently innocent envelbpe containing £2OO was discovered secreted beneath the case of pipes. ________________________