THE VOUCHER QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 254, 24 October 1905, Page 5

THE VOUCHER QUESTION.

DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRY.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter. >

WELLINGTON, this day. "'■' In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, after the report of the Commission of- Inquiry into the action of the four Christchurch officials had been disposed of, Sir Joseph Ward made a statement, in reply to members' criticisms. Sir Joseph said that although it might be true that the general Civil Service regulations were not in tbe hands of all Civil servants, that was not the case with the post and telegraph regulations. Mr Willis had signed the regulations twice in 1896. Regarding Mr Taylor's allegations that politics. had been introduced into the inquiry, he said that the Government had done nothing whatever to introduce political matters. No member of the Executive had given any instructions for any part'cuiar direction of inquiry. Mr .Fisher had laid down as an axiom that any officer of the Civil Service should be free to confide in whom he willed if he suspect ed that anything wrong was taking place in his Department. The official was to be a self-constituted judge as to whether matters before him were right or wrong, and wa._ to exercise his own discretion as to what he should keep secret. Was that doctrine to be assented to? The proper course for an official who suspected anything wrong w?s to report the. matter to.his supeiior officer, who would report to the head of the Department, and' a proper investigation would be made. Every officer in tbe public service was in honour bound to carry out his duties in such a way as to enable his Department to retain the fullest confidence of the public, which was forced to entrust Its private affairs to the Government Departments. Should such a condition Obtain as that suggested the people would fear to entrust any confidential business to the Post or Telegraph Departments. Why, did the Christchurch officers ask an indemnity if, as claimed, they did not know the regulations? Concluding, Sir Joseph said that the Electric Lines Act Amendment Bill was not retrospective, and had not any reference to the persons who had been tbe subject of the inquiry. It Was simply intended to lessen the possibility of confidential telegraphic information being divulged, and was in the interests of the public.

The Premier mentioned that the cost to the country for inquiries regarding the voucher inquiry would amount to £2000 or £3000. . "', . .

Mr Fisher replied that if an efficient system of audit of Government accounts were discovered by means of the inquiry, the discovery would be cheap at'trie price, so far as the colony was concerned,