PETROL AND BOODLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1916, Page 5

PETROL AND BOODLE.

N.S.W. ALLEGED SCANDAL. , MR. GRIFFITH CONTINUES. . By Cable,—Preiß Ass ociation —C*pyr l(f> | Sydney, April 14. • Mr. Griffith, continuing his evident#, said that Reed made a mistake in saying that Mr. Griffith warned him to ba careful against graft. He warned him to keep everything in writing, so that if the allegation of corruption was made, aB in other big deals, he would be in a position to ljieet them, He k»W he would meet opposition from the oil companies. » A letter was read from Wagstaffe to his London directors, in which it appeared that Wagstaffe sought permission to get other oil companies to work with him in trying to prevent the adop* tioh of the Government scheme. ' 1 Mr. Griffith's comment on this tu: "I think this particular company would say or do anything to save''their built ness or their billets. " ' Asked, if the vendors had paid Morgan and relieved the Government of the price of his service would he have objected, Mr. Griffith replied, "Certainly, I should have regarded it as blackmail and struck it out." MR. HOLMAN'S EVIDENCE Received April 14, 10 p.ml Sydney, April It, The manager of Norton, Griffiths, and Co.-wag eia.mined as tothe alleged lyI nlent of commissions in cortiectiort with their contracts. He denied that- | any money had been paid or promiwA en behalf of the firm to any Government! officer or Minister. Mr. Holman gave evidenoe 61 the Cabinet's consideration of the Oil schemes already detailed. In reply jp a question he said he had no knowledge of any wrong proceedings in connection 1 with the mattei, and stated thit when Mr. Griffith was informed of the legations he showed the naural , indig- . natior of a man who was accused of kn atrocious thing. Regarding the allegation that the Ministry got £65,000 out o' the Norton Griffith contract, Mr. Hoiir an declared that there was not & .tittle of truth in siieh a rumor. He. had no . suspicion that any member Of the Government or Parliament, or any official waß implicated in any way assuggesUd^