NO MISSING DOCUMENT

Evening Star, Issue 24916, 14 July 1943, Page 5

NO MISSING DOCUMENT

THE WARD INQUIRY (Roc. 8 a.m.) MELBOURNE, July 13. The commissioner's report on the Ward inquiry concerning tfy? missing defence document was released by Mr Curtin to-day. The commissioner found that no document was missing from the official, tile, and that Mr Ward had not been informed by any officer who had custody of the file that a document was missing. The commissioner said he had been unable to answer other questions for reasons of parliamentary privilege raised by Mr Ward's counsel. Mr Curtin also released a copy of a letter sent by him to Mr Ward with a copy of the commissioner's report; The letter advised that as the eomnnV sioner was precluded because of parliamentary privilege of answering- vital questions the Government had decided that the matter was one which could not be completed until submission was made to Parliament. The matter, therefore, was sub judice, and the reasons which caused him to direct Mr, Ward to.abstain from administration of his office would continue until Parliament dealt with the matters involved. Mr Curtin's letter means that Mr. Ward's suspension from office as Labour Minister continues until the new Parliament meets after the election which is being held on August 21.