THE AUDIT INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 253, 23 October 1905, Page 5

THE AUDIT INQUIRY.

Bar and the bench.

SOME SHARP SKTTfltfT<ymr f B

(By Telegraph.—Pree Association.)

WELLDSTGTON, this day. " The Audit Commission resumed its ■ sittings this morning in Chambers. AL ' : the counsel were present except Mr '■ j Jeliicoe, who had no application, to I make in Chambers, and therefore hau no call to be present. Their Honors decided the order of procedure as fol- ' lows:—The three Government Depart- j [ ments, Audit, Treasury and Defence, to j j open, Mr Jeliicoe. to follow for Mr Fisher, Mr. Wilis, late _pf the Christ- > church Post Office, is tn.en to be heard. ■ Dr. Findlay is to come next on behalr of Captain Seddort. It is also, decided to have no opening addresses, but take evidence at once. The opening proceedings of the Commission were enlivened by an encounter between Mr. Jeliicoe and the Bench. j After the latter had stated that the order of procedure had been determined on, Mr. Jellieoe said he desired to ask what order of reference they were working under, and if the original order had been amended, and by whom? Mr. Justice Denniston said they were proceeding under the order of reference read in court, which he had already intimated, and which any party to the eaae was at liberty to inspect. ' Mr. Jellieoe endeavoured to argue the matter, but the court refused to hear , him. He then asked to be allowed to make an application in regard to the ■, interpretation of the order of reference, ■but the court ruled that any such appli- , cation must be made in writing. They had settled all these matters in eham- jj bers. Mr. Jeliicoe had been notified, and \ he did not choose to be present, and they would riot have them argued now. Upon counsel persisting he was order- t ed to sit down, and did so, saying that j he might as well leave the court alto- < gether if the Bench declined to hear him. « Mr. Skerrett was proceeding to call 1 the first witness, when Mr. Jeliicoe ask- i ed tint all witnesses should be ordered % out of court. After some consultation i the Bench agreed to this. Mr. Jeliicoe s then asked for a reasonable time to en- f able him to put in writing notice of mo- i tion of urgency before Mr. Skerrett pro- t ceedad with his examination. This led a to another skirmish between Bench and I Bar, which ended in the Commissioners' positively declining to accede to Mr. Jel- r licoe's request, and then the evidence of the first witness was taken.