A MINISTER'S MORALS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17220, 10 August 1921, Page 4

A MINISTER'S MORALS.

N.S.W. JUDGE'S SCATHING REPORT. <*bom otm own conrJtspo«n>EKT.) SYDNEY, July 80. ,0f all the scathing reports ever made by a Roval Commissioner authorised to enquire into the conduct of a Minister of the Crown-and there have been manv such in this country—flint published the other day "took tho lus"Vv. G. Ashford was Minister for Lands in the last Nationalist Government, Tinder Mr Holman. He is a very ab.e voung farmer, immensely popular with ill who know him. Just about the end of tho Holman regime some very grave charges of maladministration were made concfrning tttte Soldiers' Settlement Sof the Lands Department Mv Justice Street made an enquiry under a Royal Commission. He found that charges of the most serious characlei were proved against a young man named Bryant, who was Director of the Branch and Ashford's right-hand man. The Judge found nothing very serious against Aslhtord, but he remarked thin, Ashford and Bryant were married men, and it was suggested that by their association together in a course or immoral conduct Bryant had secured an ascendancv over Ashford which he used improperly. His Honour commented severely on the fact that Ashford did nothing to rebut this suggestion. Adhford thereupon demanded thatthe enquiry bo reopened so that he might reply to the. suggestion. His friends begged him to leb the sleeping dog he, but he persisted. The evidence at the second enquiry, as throwing light into some of the amusements or the National Government, was startling. Details were given of Ashford's alleged intrigue with a tea-room waitress. The Judgo : s second report did not spare Ashford in any particular'. He pieced together the mass of evidence to form a circumstantial story of the whole intrigue, and he traces the career' of 1 the young woman in the case from the time in 1915. when she was in certain trouble, until, in 1919 6he went away to America. The intimacy between her and Ashford lasted through this period. In one section of his report the Judgo says:— "Gartrell's tea-rooms are in the neighbourhood of Parliament House, and are, it is said, much frequented by members of Parliament. It i 3 said, too, that eome members arc, or were, in the habit of inviting the waitresses to Parliament House to listen to' tliie proceedings Having invited them thero ( they used also to offer them other hospitality, and, to meet the lack of the necessary accommodation in this respect, an obliging Minister of the Crown used to be fouau who would be willing to allow life private room to be turned temporarily into a supper room. Mr Ashford was one of these."

The Judge analyses the lengthv ovi--donee to show that Bryant's acknowledged mistress and Ashford's lady were close friends. He euins up this way: 1. I cannot accept Mr Ashford as a candid or truthful witness.

2. Ho has riot succeeded in rebutting the suggestion of immoral conduct made against him. 3. The additional facts lead fairly to the conclusion that he and Bryant, his subordinate officer, were associated to,get'her in a course of immoral conduct. , 4. It is not improbable that Bryant had an improper ascendency over him.