Council Eimployee Committed for Trial: Contractor May Be Arrested Samuel William Hurst, workshop superintendent, wax at Hi. M.-C Solar Court," Teréain, last" week, committed for. trial by Mr, Ker on the charge of receiving bribes in connexion, with deliveries of stone for the, Public. Works. Department ff the' Brith, Municipal Council Prisoner pleaded not guilty and cryed hie defence, Ie was admit; ted to bai Hurst (say the "Poking and Tientein Times") was remanded on Friday week, when Mr Re. Evans, for the defence, objected to the exhibit books which the police had seize ed from the contractor. On ths resumption of the preliminary tne quiry on the 27th, Mr, P. H.B. 'Kent proveenting on bebait "of the Council) said that ie wax of his Invention to put' these books i, ts he realized that the production of them would arouse. a! cain pres juice atm Inter stage of the ceeding, i there was a tater stage.
Mr. Kent than called three ditional witnesses, Mr, ness, secretary to the Council, Mr.
Mould, an assistant accourtient, and Wang Chingekuel, a clerk in the Public Warkq Department, The clerk. Mentiied a book which was handed in-as a copy of the stone certificates made out by. Hurst, In to. Mr, Evans, he stated that ved Hurst's" note book, and Copied the statement. from." that "Rear of a Stone Famine"
Mr, Mould gave evidence ax to accused's salary, which he was $380 in 1922. In February. Hurst revived an additional house allowance of $50, and in Januaxy 1924 his salary' was increased to '$400 without any house allowance, A deduction of 10 per cent. was made for superannuation. Mr, ness told the Court that in 1082 he called for u report of the quantity of wtone in the B. M. C's possession, owing to fear of & stone famine. His inquiry was not made through [any suspicion of short measurement, Dut solely on account of the di location of railways, and a desire know exactly how the B. M. C. sto with ragaed to their supply. He received statement of the amount coming in, and was. satisfied, At the conclusion of this evidence, Mr. Keng said that he war somewhat difficult position. "Iam very Toath to apply for a further mand", said counsel, "bub certain formation has come in which may Tead to the arrest of one of the absconding principals, the contract. for or his accountant, more likely the contractor. There is noe tainty that he will be arrested, atid that is why Tam loath to ask for a remand. The man has been sce, a mater of fact.
"Ie seems to me thay on ths evidence there isa clear ease on which the court can commit the accused for trail. If i is my friend's intention to reserve his defence, then it seems that my best course will be to apply for a com. miral. In the event of any arrest we should give notice of any further witnesses with the evidence which they will give. Otherwise I shall have no option but to ask for a mand for a few days."
Mr. Evans—If he is committed I shall reserve the defence, but Lam of the opinion that there'is no ease for him to answer, and 1 shall ad-ress the Court to'show my reason, Mr. Kent: In that case T shall have to ask for a remand.
Counsel then discussed the quostion of addressing the Court, but Mr. Ker intervened with the intimation that he was prepared, on th evidence which had been given, 10 commit Hurst for trial. He was of the opinion that a prima facie ease hud been made out.
Hurst was then formally charged und committed for trial.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.