TAMMANY PRACTICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1916, Page 5

TAMMANY PRACTICE.

. NEW SOUTH WALES PETROL SCANDAL, - ASTONISHING DISCLOSURES. . By Cable.—Press Association—Copyright Reecived April 0, 9.55 p,m, Sydney, April 0. At the (Petrol Commission inquiry, Wagstaffe, manager of the British .Imperial Oil Company, was examined. He detailed tlie overtures with Morgan to take over' the company's interests and the proposals Morgan made regarding •payment. Tho letter produced yesterday was written by Wagstaffe to his London Board, placing the scheme before them, wherein he said: "We are given to understand that there are some members of the Government of New South Wales who are out for spoil, In tho event of the Government taking lip the matter seriously there will be various, sundry parties who expect remuneration." In the second letter Wagstaffe wrote: "The whole 'business seems to bfe a fair [.sample of Tammany practice. I regret liaving had to place before you Such a proposition emanating from a responsible Government. However, we may mention that the same Government concluded a ten million pounds contract with the Norton Griffiths Company, and it is openly mentioned that Government Ministers and officials got about sixty-five thousand pounds as their shares of the spoil. We are convinced that the present petrol proposal is not propounded for the benefit of the State, but more for the purpose of securing a very nice income for some of them for years to come, whether in power or not." Mr, Griffith's letter to Wagstaffe, authorising Morgan to act in the negotiations on his behalf, was also read.