LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 25 October 1912, Page 5

LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES

THE ENQUIRY CLOSED

BY XKLEGKAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 24

At the Loans to Local .bodies enquiry Mi- Dickson, M.P., said an employee of the Board had told him that he had been advised by the chairman that he had better not support his (Mr Dickson's) candidature. He thought the toan was approved before he became a member of the itoad Board. When he became a member he approved of the loan. lie knew employees of the Board were working in his interests during the election.

Colonel ii. J. Collins, Controller and Auditor-General, was called by Sir Joseph Ward. He said that he had had many years' experience of the loans to local bodies system. He had never been under any political pressure from anyone. There had been no discrimination shown. He was Secretary of the Treasury in 1909, when the Rangitikei byelection was held, and knew that a Taihape loan of £21,250 was obtained from the Bank of New Zealand under Government guarantee. The borough made ics own arrangements with the bank, and there was no political interference at all. The Department had nothing to do with this part of the transaction.

This evidence closed the enquiry. The Committee has now to draw up a, report for submission to the House.