Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 7680x9216 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

CocATOO DOCKYARD.
A FRAUDUiENT COINTRACTOR.
EX-MSITiE' MTANGE ACTION.
Sydney, MIay 5.
The methods of William Milne, a con
tractor, who is now in Lohg Bay for de
frauding the Cockatoo Dockyards Depart
ment of £29.000. were further explained at
tb e.Cockatoo Commission to-day.
George F. W. Laws, stores officer, said
be did not approve of Milne's methods and
o:dered him off the island. He was away
thre, or four months and then Mr. Jensen,
.Minister for the Neiy, sent verbal instruc
tions that he was to be allowed on again.
Had he been kept off the £29,000 frauds
could not have occurred. Witness believed
that if the manager had absolute charge
and a feee hahd the island would do bet
tcr. The men on the island gave the same
velue in work as the men in private con
acns, and the Commonwealth received fair
value. He believed the police should be
~Earched, too. The only political inter
ference was when Jensen allowed Milne
back.
Mr. MoWilliams: I confess I cannot un
derstand why Milne was allowed back. I
give it best; it is extraordinary Minis
terial action which I cannot understand.
Witness denied that the Central Coal Co.
got all the contracts as the .tenders were
dealt with on their merits. If men got
into boilers to play cards b1 candle light
he did not know of it.
Frederick Hayes, secretary of the Com
mission, went into the box and read a
statement from Sir Joseph Cook relative to
Milne.
Mr. Ryan: How did you get the state
ment?
Witness: The Melbourne papers gave
prominence to a statement before the
Commission that Milne was a friend of Sir
Joseph Cook. Hayes then read: "Cook
has telephoned me this .morning to give
an emphatic denial to the statement at
tributed to Milne. He has no knowledge
whatever of. Milne, has never met him and
would not know him if be passed him in
thce street. It was a deliberate lie on
the part of Milne to say he was ever asso
ciated with any of Cook's election commit.
tees."
The inquiry was adjourned-until Friday.
$