The Voucher Mystery.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8086, 8 September 1905, Page 5

The Voucher Mystery.

Discussion in-'Parliament.

(Per Preßß Association!. WELLINGTON, Sept.'6. In the House this afternoon a debate took place, on the Auditor-General's report on the alleged payment to Captain Seddon.

The Premier moved that the report of the Controller and Auditor-General be adopted; also:—

1. That this House is satisfied that the charge against Captain Seddon of improperly receiving payment for re-organising Defence Stores, and against Messrs Collins, Greyand Mcßeth, of giving untrue certificates relating thereto, has been completely refuted and never should have been made. 2. That in the case of Captain Seddon, this House regrets that the charge against. him should have been reiterated after it was found to be unfounded. 3. That it be an instruction to the Supervisor of Hansard and the Government printer to insert in the bound copies of Hansard at the end of the speech made by the member for Wellington (Mr F. M. R Fisher) in which the charge was first made, and at the end of every debate wherever, subsequent reference was made thereto in Hansard, a copy of the Controller and Auditor-General's report, and that attention be drawn to the said report and to this resolution, and an intimation be given :.. that the said charges have been y.. investigated and refuted. ... Mr Fisher declared that his witnesses could not possibly have made a mistake in stating that they had seen a voucher payable to E. J. S. Seddon, and urged in fairness to them Government should grant a public inquiry. If that were granted therewould be exceedingly startling disclosures. '

, Mr McNab moved an addition to the Premier's motion, . congratulating the Treasury officials and Captain Seddon upon the vindication of their reputations. Mr Taylor also urged that a public enquiry should be held.

Sir Joseph "Ward pointed out that some of the Postal officials at Christchurch had broken the regulations by disclosing information which they were bound to keep secret. . Mr Laurenson admitted that the weight of evidence was overwhelmingly against any payment whatever having been made to Captain Seddon for reorganising the Defence Stores.-, It was suggested in the course of the debate that the whole thing was based on the hallucinations of the Christchurch postal officials, but Mr Fisher ridiculed this suggestion. . . '•• : . Mr Seddon said as to these officials there would be a Departmental inquiry, and it would be private or public as the Governor-in-Council determined. Mr Massey. said he was in complete accord with the Auditor-General's report, but he objected to the Premier's proposal to interfere with Hansard. He also thought Mr MoNab's amendment was unnecessary.. ~ : Other members of the House expressed their views on the" subject, and the amendment lapsed for -want of a seconder, Mr Tajlor and Mr Fisher having already'^gpioken. Subsequently Mr Mander rose to second the amendment, but the speaker ruled that he was too late, as the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones had already moved the previous question (the close of the debate). This was carried, on the voices. .

The Premier's motion, as amended, was put shortly before 2 a.m., and carried by 47 votes to o. The following voted against it:—Messrs Fisher, Taylor, Laurenson, Moss, Bedford.

During the discussion on the vouc her question Mr Taylor pointed out th at the witness Willis had asked for access to certain Treasury records and was denied, and that the area of .his search had thereby been restricted. He declared now deliberately, knowing the responsibility resting upon him as representative of the city of Christchuich,. that he had it, on which he considered most excellent authority, that one- of the officials in the public service in Wellington during the past week- had declared that, despite the Auditor-General's report, a record of the existence of such a voucher was in the office a>fewweeks ago, and must have been-destroyed by some method since the member for Wellington had mentioned this matter. (" Oh's.") ' There was the. challenge,and the four postal officials, as his constituents, : declared that was their belief. Nothing but a public inquiry could ascertain whether this was-true or riot. ■':