EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 5

EMPLOYMENT TERMINATED

RATIONING INSPECTORS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 22. In the House of Representatives the Minister of Supply (Mr Sullivan; made a statement on the allegation that two rationing inspectors had accepted bribes. He said he had received a report from the Public Service Commissioner which stated that, after a full investigation, the Commissioner was satisfied that: Eirst.—No instruction was given by the Eood Controller or by any authoritative person that bribes were to be accepted in any circumstances. Secondly. —No official approval of any suggestion that the pracl l ee of taking bribes and paying them into the Public Account was given or implied. . Thirdly.—At the conference in May, the Food and Rationing Controller gave a clear warning to ail inspectors that a bribe had been offered in one case and that bribes must not be accepted. , Fourthly.—New members of the staff were warned that they must resist any suggestion of bribes. Fifthly.—Some inspectors had discussed among themselves the value, as evidence of guilt, of being able to prove that a bribe had been offered, and one man had suggested that proof would be available if the bribe were paid into the Public Account. Sixthly.—The same point was raised in a formal discussion among the inspectors at Auckland, hut there was no agreement that the taking of bribes and the paying of them into the Public Account should be adopted.

The taking of bribes in any circumstances whatever was entirely contrary to the ethical standards expected of all public servants in dealings with the public. It was admitted that Lockery and Harvey did, in fact, take money from whatever motive. 1 hey had been warned that they must not take money mid the Commissioner regaicied them as having, by their action, shown their unfitness .to remain in the Public Service. Therefore, their employment had been terminated.