FIRST WITNESS CALLED.

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

FIRST WITNESS CALLED.

'INSPECTION OP THE BOOKS. _The first witness called was Robert Henry Williams, assistant accountant in the Defence Department. He described I the system of voucher payments, and checks employed. Mr. Jellieoe asked if the Department's books referred to were available for inspection. The Commission said h& could only inspect a particular entry, and not the whole contents of the books. Mr. Skerrett (for the Department) said that he had no objection to the inspection of the whole contents if the inspection were made under the supervision of the Commission. Mr. Jellieoe: "I am thankful even for small crumbs." The witness was being further examined as to whether the books disclosed any payment to Captain Seddon for reorganising the defence stores, when Mr. Jellieoe interrupted, and saidt "This is secondary evidence. Tbe books should be allowed to speak for themselves. They were there to show that the r-ystem of audit was simply a farce,'and a door opened to fraud." The Court Insisted that Mr. JeHcoe should confine himself to the legal aspect of his contention, which they eventually ruled against him. The witness said there wae no trace of any such payment to Captain Seddon. (Continued on page tvr-".i