EXTRA EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 10 August 1905, Page 6

EXTRA EDITION.

MR. FISHER'S CHARGES AGAIN. ♦ PETITION FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICERS. FULL ENQUIRY DEMANDED. AUDITOR-GENERAL TO INVESTIGATE. PREMIER CONSENTS. MR. FISHER PLEASED. IS IT A SECRET ENQUIRY? ■Mr. J. B. Heywood (Secretary to the Treasury), -ur. R. J. Collins (AssistantSecretary to 'the Treasury), and 'Mr. J. B. Gray (Under-Secretaiy for Defence) this afternoon presented a petition, through the Premier, on the subject of the alleged payment >of £76 to Captain Saddon for reorganising defenco (stores. The petition set out the facts relating to tie Sneddon voucher, and said they had satisfied themselves that no trace of any such .payment could too found, . as they 'have already certified. They regarded as a. grave reflection on their integrity the statement that they could not bs expected to Teport adversely to the Government, and stated that if any such payment had been made it could not fall to be discovered. They eaid the statement amounted to » charge of deliberate dishonesty, and they therefore .prayed that the Auditor-General be directed 'to enquire and report as <to the accuracy of their certificate. The Premier moved that the AuditorGeneral foe directed to make the enquiry, the investigation to cover the whole period of Captain Seddon's connection with the Defence Department. Speaking to the motion, he said this coutss was taken in view of what might be said in future against Captain Seddon. If they could not trust their highest officers, all confidence was shaken, and it would be shaken unless this matter was pursued further. Naturally a high Government officer who had served for years under past Governments would feel aggrieved if confidence was shaken, and the only redress he could have was to appeal to Parliament. There was a public ofiicar whose special duty was to protect public officers and the people of the colony. He was above Ministers; heads of Departments were liable to what he deemed best in the interests of the colony, and above all he was there to protect tha public purse. He had noo hesitated to bring 'before the- House- any matters ho thought should be made public. Any payment such as alleged must have gone through the Andit Department, and in order to give them an opportunity of vindicating themselves these petitioning ; officers asked for an enquiry. He thought the request should be granted unanimous Ily by the House. The Auditor-General I had the power to call on every oflicer to j assist him in his duties and enquiries, aid to demand from, them the fullest I Information. The petitioners desired that there should be no escape. They had done all that was possible to discover whether any such payment as alleged had been made, and the only payment I found was that to R. Sneddon. It could j not have been made without a record being kept, besides which all payments I to him had gone through the bank, and , there was no trace whatever of such a payment. Captain Seddon would make a statement on oath that he had never received such a, payment. It was in his mind that there had been a serious mistake, and that some one had misled Mr. Fisher. Everything pointed to the one mistake owing to some similarity in the names of the parties. Th<\ House should not refuse the enquiry by the ono person who . was ap irt from Party, and to do justice to those officers who, after years of service, felt pained at the suggestion that they would report against the facts in favour of the Government. The Premier went on tv quote the Act relating to, the Auditor-General's powers of enquiry. The powers were so full and complete that he was safe in saying any report from him would remove the slight which has been cast on the petitioners, Captain Seddon and all concerned. When they had his report they would be able to decide whether further action was necessary. If it was necessary to elucidate the question they must do so. The actions of the petitioners showed that thoy were honest men and did not fear enquiry. In the present proposal he hoped he would be supported by the House. Mr. Fisher, he was sure, had no desire to injure the petitioners, and would support the proposal. The Leader of the Opposition said he •waa very glad to hear that the Premier and his officers intended to take steps to meet the charges made, and no one would be more pleased than he if their integrity was established. The enquiry, howeveT, did not go far enough, and ho suggested it .should include all payments anade by the State to Captain Ssddon. The matter had gone so far that tho fullest enquiry should be made. He did not believe in granting an indemnity. If Civil Servants did their duty public opinion and the House would protect them. Mr. Fisher congratulated the Premier on taking what he believed to be a. proper coui&e. No one would bo more pleased than he at seeing this matter cleared up. Ho did not cast any aspersion on the departmental heads, but when the departmental heads denied that such a puyment had been made, and three Civil Servants bworo by affidavit that it had been made, it showed that it might have been paid without the knoweldgo of tho heads of departments. As to the suggested confusion between Seddon and Sneddon tho matter was still an impenetrable mysteiy. Tlio affidavits' were signed after tho Snoddon voucher appeared, and ho was sure that the Premier or any other member would havo taken the same course as ho had, and determined to sec the matter through to the end. As to tho proposed enquiry, ho asked if it would enable the AuditorGeneral to examine the tnen whose affidavits he had placed on the table? Tho Premier : Yes. Mr. Fisher asked if they would bo indemnified. The Premier replied by reading the Act giving the Auditor-General power to examine any Civil Servant in his enquiries Mr. Fisher took it that the AuditorGeneral had full power to call for any person in the service for papers, and there could bo no doubt he would call the persons who had sworn the affidavits. If this enquiiy was going to bo held, would it be open to tho public? ' The Premier : Tho Auditor-General is apart from everybody. , Mr. Fisher : That means it will not be open to tho public or the press. Could lie go before the Auditor-General? Would any record be taken of the enquiry ? Were they going to have an open-air investigation or a seciot enquiiy? They ought not to go blind in the matter. , Mr. Taylor said no one could find fault with tlu petition. Tho only question w whether the tribunal to be eet up

was a reasonable one. The AuditorGeneral had been severely castigated by the present Government when he brought matters concerning the Government before the House, and he had been practically told he would be superseded if he cairied out his pin-prick policy of complaint. The Premier : That is not so. Mr. Taylor reiterated ths statement. He felt inclined to rely on the AuditorGeneral, but he wanted to know what kind of enquiry it would be. Mr. Fisher was gravely interested. Would he be permitted to be present? Ho would prefer a Parliamentary enquiry where members could be present, and bear what was going on, and where a public record would bo kept. He believed that a public record ought to be kept of tho proceedings. Mr. Fisher had placed with the Speaker documentary evidence which he- wds sure would justify 'his actions. Thoso papers were remarkable because they . had cleared away any blame attachable to Mr. Fisher. Any member of the House was justified in demanding from tha Government an expla-nation of any item of expenditure which he might consider to be remarkable. H© had in .his possession copies of ths affidavits. Tho people who mado them had no grievance, but they believed they were citizejis aa well as Civil Servants, and had a perfect right to ask for enquiry into the merits of any transaction which they •believed to bo questionable. He would have preferred a. public -enquiry. What was vow proposed was a departmental enquiry. _ The Auditor-General's powers were limited, the public would not be admitted. Ifc was not a satisfactory tribunal. No one knew the merits of the question; but Mr. Fisher, he contended, bad by these affidavits cleared himself from the charge of acting in a hasty and improper manner, and purely on a basis of conjecture. Be hoped the enquiry would satisfy m-embere on both sides of the House, and finally settle the matter. Ho found fault, however, with the hesitancy of the Premier in tho matter. Ho hoped the Auditor-General would make a speedy report; it ought at the latest to be- beforo .the House in a. month. (Left sitting.)