Royal Commission Regarding the Contract for the Erection of Additions to the General Post Office, Sydney

The Menzies government agreed on 2 June 1939 to a royal commission, and on 7 June the Prime Minister announced that the Chief Justice of New South Wales had made Justice Allan Victor Maxwell available as royal commissioner. The terms of reference, released on 8 June 1939, covered the calling and handling of tenders, the signing of the contract and connected matters. Victor Windeyer was counsel assisting. The Letters Patent are dated 7 June 1939.

1. 7 June 1939Prime Minister Menzies announced that Justice Maxwell would be the royal commissioner.
2. 7 September 1939Report tabled in the House of Representatives, with the action taken against Mehaffey and Orwin.

The report, presented in late July 1939, found no suspicion of bribery but criticised the Director-General of Works, M. W. Mehaffey, over the signing of the contract against the Prime Minister's direction. It was tabled on 7 September 1939. After a public service board of inquiry, the Governor-General in Council on 25 August 1939 removed Mehaffey from his office (making him an assistant director-general) and removed James Orwin from the office of Works Director, New South Wales. The Parliamentary Handbook gives 7 September 1939 as the date the final report was presented.

• Calling and handling of tenders for the Sydney GPO additions
• Signing of the contract
• Administration of the Works Branch of the Department of the Interior

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