TOWN EDITION. THE VOUCHER ENQUIRY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 266, 6 November 1905, Page 3

TOWN EDITION. THE VOUCHER ENQUIRY.

PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE AUDIT COMMISSION. RESULT OF SEARCH FOR THE ALLEGED DOCUMENT. [press association.] WELLINGTON. Nov. 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, gave evidence as to the production and checking of all cheques i&sued through the Christchufch post office, as directed by the Court. Mr Willis said: All the cheques here were not checked. Witness said: All here up to November 29. Witness said he did not see a lot of them. Witness said he did not think this statement was correct. Willis: Did I not find the cheques useless for the purpose? Witness: All the cheques you wanted were turned up for you. Mr Skerrett: Mr Willis had the opportunity of checking all the cheques between "£4O and £100. Willis: I had the opportunity, but it would have taken too long. Witness said the voucher was checked by Mr West. Willis said he came to the conclusion that the Christchurch cheques as a record were perfectly useless. Judge Denniston: That is ridiculous. Judge Edwards: What does that mean ? Willis: There is not a record for tracing a cheque to any particular point. The Commissioners disagreed with this contention. Other clerks who assisted in the search gave similar evidence to Davis's. Mr Willis, in reply to the Bench, said the search was necessarily haphazard, owing to the shortness of the time. To have gone through the books would have, taken three months; he had three days. Judge Denniston: We will make our report in due course. The Commission then adjourned.