A MINISTER'S MORALS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 34, 9 August 1921, Page 8

A MINISTER'S MORALS

N.S.W. JUDGE'S SCATHING

REPORT

(rXOX OUR OWN COKKBSPONDMiT.)

SYDNEY/ 30th July. Of all the scathing reports ever made by a Royal Commissioner authorised to inquire into the conduct of a Minister of the Crown—and there have been many such, in this country—that published the other day -was the most noteworthy. "

W. G. Ashford was Minister for Lands in the last Nationalist, Government under Mr. Holman. He is a very able young farmer, immensely popular with | all who know him. .Just about the end of tbe Holman regime some very grave charges of maladministration were I made concerning the Soldiers' Settlement Branch of tho Lands Department. Mr. Justice Street made ah inquiry -under a Royal Commission. He found that charges of the most-serious character 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 Ashford, but ho remarked that Ashford and Bryant were married men', and it was suggested that,by their association together, in the course of immoral conduct, Bryant had secured an ascendency over Ashford which he.used improperly. His Honour commented severely on the , fact that Ashford did nothing to rebut this suggestion. Ashford thereupon 'demanded that the inquiry be reopened so that; he might reply to the suggestion. ''■' His. friends r begged him to let the sleeping dog lie, but'he persisted. The evidence at the second inquiry, as throwing light into soiue of the amusements of the Nationa&t Government, was. startling. Details were given of Ashford's alleged intrigue with a tea-room waitress.

The Judge'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 traced the career of the young woman in the case from the time in 1915, when she was in, certain trouble, until in 1919 she went away to, America. The intjraacy between her and Ashford lasted through this period. In one section of his report the Judge says :-— " Gartrell's tea-rooms are in the neighbourhood of Parliament House, and are, it is said, muck frequented by members of Parliament. It is. said, too, that some members ar.ej or were, in the habit of inviting the waitresses to Parliament House to listen to the proceedings. Hay-, ing invited them there, they i used also to offer, them other hospitality, and, to meet the lack of the necessary accommodation in this respect, an obliginj; Mm ister of the Crown used to be found who would bo willing to allow his privats room to be turned temporarily into a supper-room. Mr. Ashford was one of these." . . ' ' - ' ■ The Judge analyses th« lengthy evidence to show that Bryant's acknowledged mistress and Aahford's lady were close friends. He sums up this way: 1. I cannot accept Mr Ashford as a candid or truthful witness.

2. He has not succeeded in. rebutting the suggestion of immoral conduct made against him. .

3. The additional facts lead fairly to the conclueion that he and Bryant, his subordinate officer, were associated together in a course of immoral conduct. 4. It is not improbable that Bryant had an improper ascendancy over him.