"FLOUTED BY A MINISTER"

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 75, 26 September 1917, Page 8

"FLOUTED BY A MINISTER"

AUDIT OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

: In July last ■ the executive of the Public Service Association urged on the Government the advisability of setting up a commission of experts, not necessarily members of the public service, for the.purpose,of examining the present system of public accounts, to. report to the Government whether in its opinion the system includes adequate safeguard against fraudulent manipulation of public moneys. "This step (the association wrote) is being- taken on account of the fact that, in the association's view, our weaker fellows should be protected against themselves by the perfecting of as effective a system as can be conceived. That, the 'present system is incapable of improvement and that alterations made in the system within the past few years have been in the best interests of the public and of its servants the association doe's not feel assured.'' ' Several letters have since passed between the Government and the association on the subject. In the last one received by the association the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) said: "I note that your executive is of opinion . that recent happenings in the Service are sufficient justification for its lack of assurance that the methods are incapable '.if considerable improvement. I desire to point out, however, that the accounts system in operation throughout the service is a matter that is pnmI arily in the hands of the Audit and Treasury Departments, and under these circumstances further action is not considered necessary." The Public Service Journal just issued, referring to the Hon. Mr. Russell' 6 reply, says : "The comparatively recent serious embezzlements must necessarily cast a stigma on the Service as a whole, and in particular those officers whose duty it is to handle public moneys, therefore the association; as representing the bulk of the Service, is justified in askj ing for an enquiry into a system which we submit is obviously defective. The members of the Service are anxious to strengthen the system and would no doubt take advantage of an enquiry to offer. valuable suggestions to that end. This was the spirit in which the resolution of the Council was passed, therefore it is not encouraging, to cay the least, to find a responsible Minister of the" Crown writing the words quoted at the head of this article before consulting some authority on the subject. Had he taken this precaution he would haveavoided two mistakes, those of treating an important matter in a cavalier fashion; and an exposure of his lack of knowledge. ;, If he will read the fourth report of the, Public Service Commissioner he will appreciate this criticism, hut we may go. further and say that the Audit Office has no control over the system of keeping the public accounts, nor has the Treasury any control over the system of keeping departmental accounts. The association, with a\ know- ! ledge of the subject, has called attention to what it considers to be a matter of grave importance, only to be flouted by a Minister who, on his own showing,, has no knowledge of the subject. Apparently the public interest does not count." . . ;