THE PETROL SCANDAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1916, Page 5

THE PETROL SCANDAL.

MINISTERS OUT FOR SPOIL, SOME INTERESTING LETTERS. By Cable.—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, April 7. Giving evidence before the .'Petrol Commission, Mr. Wagstalf said that one per cent, commission meant at least £BOOO per annum for Morgan, and cypressed the opinion that Reed was an honest man at heart, but had been very foolish. A letter writter by Mr. Black, Sydney manager of the company, to Wagstaffe was read, expressing the opinion that the Labor Party was falling from grace, and wanting to rush the petrol business through to get the pickings, and .thus be secure in the event of defeat- at the elections. Mr. Black described Morgan'* ideas as hellish, and said it was degrading to think that Ministers would stoop so low as to sell their country Tor personal gain. H e trusted to God that the company's London board would turn the proposal down.

In another letter informing Wagstaffe that the company's solicitor had placed the whole facts before Messrs Holman and Hall, Mr. Black said the solicitor was convinced, that Holman and Hall were absolutely ignorant of any move' that was leading the Government into such a position as the Minister for Education had landed them. They were both greatly cut up, and he could be assured that they knew nothing of the proposi*. tion.

A letter from the company's London board, turning down the proposals, said: "We are absolutely astounded that such proposals should be put forward by the responsible Government of a British colony through the broker acknowledged by Mr, Griffith as hia official agent."

MORE REVELATIONS, A LAWYER'S LETTIig Received April 7, 9 p.«i. Sydney, April 7. .' The Attorney-General, Mr. Hall, in the course of his evidence, said there wag ■• trace of Government remuneration or payment to Morgan, but Reed had mentioned that if the scheme came off Morgan would expect a good Government lob. Wagstaffe, cross-examined, said that neither Reed nor Morgan had objected to his statement that any brokerage or commission would have to be shown clearly on any document recording the sale.

Amongst several letters read was opt from Waxman, the British Imperial Company's solicitor, to Wagstaffe, wherein he declared that Messrs Holman and Hall would feel intensely the near possibility of Morgan's,, proposal filtering through to London as having emanated from them or from the Government as such, and urging that these gentlemen should be freed as far as possible from a taint that would otherwise acect their names and reputations in London. Wagstaffe, writing to Black after the facts had been placed before Messrs Holman and Hall, said: 'lt looks as though we have won, hands down, defeating'the Government on this particular plank of their platform. I intend to put the matter before Waxman in such a way that T will be able, to show the Premier the advisability of committing to Mack and white that this monopolistic idea is not to Tje proceeded with, because I won't send that to London. Such a declaration by him will leave him his freedom in London, and permit his having the entree to our principals, which under the existing circumstances are most certainly closed against him."