PUBLIC INQUIRY SOUGHT

Dominion, Volume 39, Issue 28, 27 October 1945, Page 8

PUBLIC INQUIRY SOUGHT

Request By Government Official

A public inquiry in order to give him an opportunity of refuting allegations made against him and to vindicate bis character as a public servant is asked for by George Laing, general inspector of Government motor vehicles, iu a petition presented iii the House by Mr. CHAPMAN (L„ Wellington North). Petitioner staled that for the past 10 years he had been general inspector of Government motor vehicles, and had been a properly authorized officer whose duties included ths investigation of irregularities connected with motor vehicles owned by the New Zealand Govrnment. In November, 1943. said petitioner, he was conjointly' with officers of the. Audit and Army Security Departments investigating irregularities in connexion with Army vehicles at Christchurch. The investigation was stopped following instructions and Audit and Army Security were directed to have no further association with the petitioner. He was publicly castigated in September, 1944. from the floor of Parliament, and treated with a contumely and contempt unprecedented in the history of the Public Service. He was of opinion that tbe.se attacks were unwarranted in that he had ample authority for conducting his investigations, he was doing his duty in protecting the publie funds, and the charges he made were fully established. w Petitioner said he was of opinion that as a result of these public attacks from the privilege of Parliament he had no remedy except by Parliament, that he had been publicly humiliated and held up to contempt, and that he had been gravely prejudiced in carrying out his official duties, a considerable portion of which had been taken away from him. Having no legal redress against privileged attacks from the shelter of Parliament, petitioner asked that the House institute a public inquiry into the matters enumerated above in order to give him an opportunity of refuting the allegations, either precise or inferential, in order to clear himself and vindicate his character as a public servant.