EX-MINISTER REBUKED

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1921, Page 2

EX-MINISTER REBUKED

JUDGE’S CENSURES. SYDNEY, July 30. ■ • Of all the scathing reports ever made by a Royal Commissioner authorised to enquire into the conduct of a Alinister of the Crown —and there have been many such in this country that published the other day “took the biscuit.” W. G. Ashford was Alinister for Lands in ’the last Nationalist Government, under Air Holman. He is a very able young farmer, immensely popular with all who know him. Just about the end of the Holman regime some very grave charges of maladministration were made concerning tile Soldiers’ Settlement Branch of the Lands Department. Mr Justice Street made an enquiry under a Royal Commission. He found that cffiinges 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 he remarked tliaT Ashford ami Bryant were married men, and it was suggested that by their association together in a course of immoral conduct Bryant had secured an ascendancy over Ashford, which he used improperly. His Honour commented severely on the fact that Ashford did nothing to rebut this

sugestion. Ashford thereupon demanded that, the enquiry be reopened so that he might reply to the suggestion. His friends begged him to let the sleeping dog lie, but he persisted. The evidence at the second inquiry ,as throwing light into some of the amusements of the National 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 6T evidence to form a circumstantial story of the whole intrigue, and he traces the career of the voting woman in the case from the time in 1915 when she wap in 'certain trouble, until in 1919 she went away to America. The intimacy 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, much frequented by members of Parliament, It is said, too, that some members are, or were, in the habit of inviting tlfe waitresses to Darliamen" House to listen to the proceedings. Having invited them there, they used also to° offer them other hospitality, and, to meet the lack of the necessary accommodation in this respect, an obliging Alinister of the Crown used to be found who would be willing to allow his private rooms to be turned temporarily into a supper room. Mr Ashford was one of The Judge analyses the lengthy evidence to show that Bryant’s acknowledged mistress and Ashford’s lady were close friends. He sums up this way: 1. I cannot accept Air 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 conclusion that he and Bryant, hia subordinate officer, were associated together in a course of immoral conduct. 4. It is not improbable that Bryant had ,in improper ascendancy over him. RESIGNATION FOLLOWS. SYDNEY, This Day. Washford has resigned from the National Party. . Ho formerly tendered the resignation but was requested by Hon. Fuller to hold it over till the result was known of the recent enquiry.