THE AUDIT ENQUIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 8918, 6 November 1905, Page 7

THE AUDIT ENQUIRY.

FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR "THAT VOUCHER."

[PBESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, November 6. The Audit Commission sat this morning to hear the result of the search for the alleged voucher or payment relating thereto.

Thomas Joseph Davis, clerk in, the Treasury, igave evidence as to the production and checking of all cheques tissued through the Christchurch post office as directed by the Court.

Mr Wiluß said 'all the cheques were not ohecked. Witness eaid all were to November 29. Mr Willis said they did not see a lot of them.

Witness said he did oiot think this statement correct.

Mr Willis : Did I not find the cheques useless for the purpose ? Witness : All the cheques you wanted were turned up for you. Mr Skenrett: Mr Willis had the opportunity of checking all the cheques between £40 and £100.

Mt Willis: I had the opportunity, but it woulid have taken too long. Witness said the vouchers were checked by Mr Weet. Mr WilMs said he came to the conclusion that the Christchurch cheques as a record were perfectly useless. Mir Justice Denniston: That is ridiculous.

Mr Justice Edwards : What does that mean?

Mr Willis : There is no record for tracing a cheque to any particular point. The Commissionere disagreed with this contention.

Other clerks who assisted in the search gave similar evidence to Davies. Mr Willis, in reply to the Bench, said the search was necessarily haphazard, owing to the sEortness of time. To have gone through' the books would have taken three months ; he had three days. Mr Justice Deiuinston : We will make our Teport in. due course. The Commission then adjourned.