THE VOUCHER INCIDENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 83, 5 October 1905, Page 2

THE VOUCHER INCIDENT.

ITS AUTHOR BEFORE THE ELEC TOES. TBB FISHER CONFESSION OF FAITH. The voucher incident of course claimed the lion's share of attention in the address that Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, M.H.R., delivered to an overflowing meeting of Wellington Central electors in the Druids' Hall l<\sfc evening. The candidate met with *ccasional interrupt tion, some of it friendly, some hostile, but on the whole the meeting was goodhumoured, and did not give the Chuirman (Mr. C, de 0. Williams) much trouble. DON'T FORGET THE POINTS SCORED. "Supposing — and it is entirely supposition — that I am entirely wrong in the matter, of lUe voucher," said i|r. Fisher, "what about the other charges made? Are they to be ignored '(" Was the light to he turned Qfl a' charge that was held to be broken down, ignoring other charges, the sheeting home of which had saved the colony thousands of pounds a year? The result of their bringing up the memo system was that you can't now send collect telegrams to Ministers. Was the Government advertising this fact as much as "Fisher's mistake" about the voucher — if it was a mistake? "In fighting the Premier, I recognise that in tho Premier you. have the ablest man who ever touched your politics., I don't expect to live to see another man so able in New Zealand. '(Applause.) A.tthe same time, we are not to endurp political corruption from the greatest genius who ever stood on two legs." On legislation there was always the Parliamentary check, but administration was unchecked out of session, and the country wanted men with the faculty and facility to bring cases of administrative corruption on the floor of the House. Suppose one of these men made a mistake, was ho to ba blamed for it? "Not at all. The motive is tho thing to judge a man by. He is not to he blamed if he makes a mistake in good faith." sTHE CLOSURE. The Premier had taken advantage of his (Mr. Fisher's) absence and 'Mr. T. E. Taylor's absence to preside at n meeting, in order to bring on at 7.3Q a- Bill dealing with the Audit Department, and, he presumed, the voucher business. The Bill was to be put through all stages, he would probably return to find it through— (cry of "Shame") — and he would then be guilty of contempt if he stood on a public platform to explain it. So he c, would make the most of this last opportunity. He admitted that there must be always a difference of opinion as to the voucher incident; but' the majority of people believed that there was a voucher. (Ap» planse.) In Christchurch Post Office they had four reliable men. (Cry of No.) No men could say that much (flicking his fingers) against those men. A voice : "They broke their oaths." QUESTION OF BREACH OF OATH. ilr. Fisher: Had there been anything defamatory against them, it would have been heard of. They did not break any oath. They swore an oath that 'they would not divulge any information connected with postal matter. "The voucher is a treasury matter," declared Mi. Fishev, "and does not come under the oath these men took at all." vApplause.) Would anyone say that wiih such evidence he (Mr. Fisher) was, not justified in asking what was this £70, why was it paid, and why waa it paid in Christchuroh for services in Wellington? A voice : "Why didn't you apologise? Sundry interjections. Mr. FJsher; Tho reason he did not apologise in the manner the interjector would ake was because it was said that a public payment went through on a public- document, and as a representative of the people ho had a right to 'know how thut State document got there. The Auditor-General was impartial, but the restricted order of reference prevented an exhaustive search. "I never will apologise till I pet a public enquiry," declared Mr. Fisher. (Applause, and interjections.) DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOUCHERS. Mr. Fisher emphasised the differences between the voucher the witnesses swore to and the Sneddon or Anderson voucher —difference in co.our of paper, one had a signature in the middle, and one wus signed R. J. S. Seddon, the* other Richard Sneddon. (Interruptions, friendly and otherwise.) He was quite prepared, to accept. Captain Seddon'a statement that he does not sign "11. J. S. Seddon, ' That was all the more reason for finding out who did > there must be a forgeiy. (Applause.) A rema-ik being made in the body of the hall about George Fisher, the speaker declared that the Ueorge Fisher ot better days would pat h.m on • the back and say he had done right. (Applause.) It was possible that he had done wrong, but he had don© what he v conscientiously believed to be right, and be believed he would be ablo to justify himself. Tho order of reference excluded coking at the cheque books, tho cash book, and the regiaieis. All evidence likoly to tlnow light, on tho subject, was not touched on at all HOW IT CAME OUT.' A voice^ — "Why did these young men commit a breach of discipline by making the matter public property instead ol referring it to then- senior ofticers'l" That, iaid Mr. FiMier, was a very failquestion. They took tlno course most Uivil Servants woy.d tako under the circumstances. (Cries of "So" and "Question.") They di&cussod, tho mutter and said nothing to any one abuut it, and womd not have done so had ho not, gone to them Twelve -months after that he approached them A voice — "Bud taste." "It might bo," rejoined Mr. Fisher, "so was your inleijcction. They never volunteered tho infprmaijon, ' added Mr Fisher, "L went to Willis und got the information, and if tlreio isiany lesponsibitfty pile it on mo, and I will stand up under it." (Applause.) A voice— "HoV did you get on the track originally V't Another voice (to first voice)— "Vou get on tho track outside. After alluding to piesent defects in the Audit oy&tem, , Mr. Fißher taid if he droppel on other 'transactions he regarded as suspicious, he would tuke action whatever the outcome. Any voter who thought there i was a belter candidate could go on his 1 way. A LADY iON MR. TAYLOR. A woman- (in highest, thinnest, superrefined falsetto)— -"We'll put you back if you keep from Tommy Taylor. You're a second Tormnjj Taylor." (Roars of latighjtcr.) i Mr. Fisher— -"If lam a second Tommy Taylor 1 tun very proud of it." Wuu half a dozen Tommy Taylors we would havo cleaner politics. Aiiked if "tho man you are trying to defile" was not for, yeaiß a friend to his family?" Mr. Fisher-r-I presume you refer to Mr. J3ed.doji. I have to fight my own Way in tho Wliut's between my father and Mr. Seddon is not between me and Mr. Seddon. . . I strongly object to any family matters being brougiit on to the platform. A vote of thanks und confidence was carried with acclamation. J