AGY-6095 | Royal Commission of Inquiry into certain charges against Messrs. Dooley, Mutch, and Johnston, members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales

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The Royal Commission of inquiry into Certain charges against Messrs. Dooley, Mutch, and Johnston, members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, was presided over by Justice Robert Darlow Pring. He was directed by the Governor, Sir Walter Edward Davidson, under the Commission dated 21 November 1920, to inquire:
'(1.) Whether John James Talbot gave Valentine Carlyle Ross Wood Johnston, Member of the Legislative Assembly, or any other person, money for the purpose of closing the Royal Commission dated the fifteenth day of September, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen, appointed to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the carrying out of a certain contract dated the twentieth day of February, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen, for the sale of 1916-1917 wheat to one George Georgeson and other matters therein mentioned.
(2.) If so, or, if any money were paid by the said John James Talbot to the said Valentine Carlysle Ross Wood Johnston, Member of the Legislative Assembly, did James Dooley, Member of the Legislative Assembly, or Thomas Davies Mutch, Member of the Legislative Assembly, participate in the said money, or did they or either of them know of the said payment.
(3.) Did Valentine Carlyle Ross Wood Johnston, Member of the Legislative Assembly, James Dooley, Member of the Legislative Assembly, or Thomas Davies Mutch, Member of the Legislative Assembly, endeavour in any way whatsoever to influence the present Government or any member thereof or any other Government or any member thereof to take no further action in connection with the said Commission.' (1)

This Royal Commission grew out of two others. The first was the Royal Commission respecting the inquiry into the George Georgeson wheat contract, 1919. Georgeson bought 72,000 tons of the 'practically unsaleable' 1916-1917 harvest at an average price of 4 shillings and 4.5 pence per ton, just as the failure of the Japanese rice crop opened up a better market. His price was below the price of the best wheat. Pring reported that the price to Georgeson was fair for the quality of the wheat and he could not find evidence that Georgeson received favoured treatment. (2) On 15 September 1919 Pring was again asked to examine the circumstances surrounding the carrying out of the Georgeson contract, along with 'the receipt, management, control, sales, and other dispositions by the State Wheat Office or the Department of Agriculture of the wheat of the said State of the year 1915-1916 and subsequent years....' On 23 September 1919, Pring received a further Commission to look at money invested by W.C. Grahame, Minister for Agriculture (1915-1920), and whether the money was obtained by bribery or otherwise improperly.(3) Pring made five reports from this Commission. The first dated 8 January 1920 was into the administration of the State Wheat Office. The second, third and fourth (dated 9 August, 21 October, 11 November 1920) stated that Pring could not proceed with the investigation due to George Georgeson's inability to testify because of illness. In 1921 the Royal Commission on the State Wheat Office was re-opened and on 2 December 1921 Georgeson gave evidence, although he was unable to remember anything. The fifth and final report, dated 9 December 1921, does not appear to have been tabled. Pring concluded that Georgeson's partner, Talbot, with the cognisance of Georgeson, paid moneys to some persons for an improper purpose, but he was unable to say to whom and for what purpose. He also concluded that Grahame's statement that he obtained money from betting on horse-races could not be disproved. (4)

The Royal Commission of inquiry into certain charges against Messrs. Dooley, Mutch, and Johnston, members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, examined a donation that Talbot had made to Johnston in the lead up to the March 1920 election. Johnston was a Labour Party candidate for the Bathurst electorate. The question was whether the donation was designed to shut down the Royal Commission into the Wheat Office, and whether Dooley and Mutch knew or participated. Pring presented his report on 17 December 1920. Because much of the evidence was hearsay (including that of Mrs Georgeson), he was 'unable to say whether or not the money was given by Mr. Talbot to Mr. Johnston for the purpose of closing the Wheat Commission....' He concluded, however, that neither Dooley or Mutch knew of Talbot's payment to Johnston or participated in it, and that neither Johnston, Dooley or Mutch had tried to influence the Government or any of its members, or any Government or any of its members, to close down the Wheat Office Commission. (5)

Endnotes
(1) Report of Royal Commission of inquiry into Certain charges against Messrs. Dooley, Mutch, and Johnston, members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, Joint Volume of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly..., 1920, Vol.2, p.1375, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1921; New South Wales Government Gazette No.207, 3 December 1920, p.7141.
(2) Report of the Royal Commission (His Honor Mr. Justice Pring) respecting the inquiry into the George Georgeson wheat contract, Joint Volume of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly..., 1919, Vol. 1, p.179-188, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1920.
(3) Report of Royal Commission of inquiry (Mr. Justice Pring) into the Administration of the State Wheat Office, Joint Volume of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly..., 1920, Vol.1, p.221, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1921.
(4) Report of Mr Justice Pring (dated 9th August) on certain matters concerning the administration of the State Wheat Office, Joint Volume of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly..., 1920, Vol.1, p.241; Final report of Royal Commission of Inquiry (Mr. Justice Pring) into the administration of the State Wheat Office, Joint Volume of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly..., 1920, Sydney, NSW Government Printer, 1921, p.245; Additional Final Report of Royal Commission on Inquiry (Mr. Justice Pring) into the Administration of the State Wheat Office, Joint Volume of Papers presented to the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly..., 1920, p.249; Premier's Department: NRS1524, Records of the Commission [Royal Commission of Inquiry into the State Wheat Pool], 1919-1921 [7/5928].
(5) Report of the Royal Commission of inquiry into certain charges against Messrs. Dooley, Mutch, and Johnston, members of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, op.cit., p.1382.