A RAILWAY SCANDAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 915, 13 September 1889, Page 15

A RAILWAY SCANDAL.

ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES AT PITONE. In the House on the sth September, the Chairman of the Public Petitions Committee (Mr T. Thompson) brought up reports on the petitions of George Sample and G. W. Schwartz. Schwartz alleged that he had been clerk at the Pitone Railway Stores for seven vears, and that his services had been dispensed with in consequence of inquiriee he made from an officer of the department into certain irregular transactions which had taken place at the Pitone stores ; and that at the inquiry held into this matter by the Railway Commissioners he was debarred fromgivingcertainevidence. He asked for farther inquiry, and relief if he was found entitled to it. Sample, formerly a member of the permanent staff at Pitone, stated that his services had been dispensed with because he reported irregularities on the part of the storekeeper. The prayer of hisspetition was the same as iu Schwartz’s case. The Committee reported that after making exhaustive inquiry into the matter, they were of opinion that the petitioners had no claim against the Colony. A discussion on tho subject was begun by Mr Taylor, and Mr Anderson, who followed, said irregularities had heen committed in the Railway Stores Department which would not he tolerated in any thirdclass commercial house. He expressed a hope that the Government would at once institute an inquiry into this matter. Mr Duncan moved that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration. Mr Bruce expressed an opinion that the irregu larities were met and properly dealt with by the Railway Commissioners. Other members having spoken of irregularities in the department, Mr Pish said that the matter i was apparently one of great importance, and should be inquired into at once. If these things were done here in Wellington, under the very noses of tho Commissioners, what . could be done in other parts of the Colony ?

Mr T. Thompson said that very gra7o matters were brought before the Committee, and showed a state of things by no means creditable to the railway managemeat. It was proved that an official was in the habit of sending articles to his own house from tho stores for consumption—tins of kerosene, &c.—and, when asked about it, he said he was perfectly justified in doing so, because he intended to replace them. One man in a confidential position said he thought he was justified in doing this, but that those under him were not. Iu answer to Mr Dodson, Mr Thompson said it was true that an officer of the department received a cheque for goods sold to a merchant, cashed it, and did not enter it for some weeks. Mr Barron understood that one of the petitioners was dismissed for nob making a report against his superior officer. Mr Grimmond said tho Railway Commissioners had done ali they could in the way of inquiry, and had acted with firmness in the matter. Mr Izard expressed an opinion that punishment had fallen on the wrong shoulders. (Hear, hear.) These men were discharged for reporting misappropriation by another officer. The men who committed the offence had been retained in the service, instead of being dismissed with ignominy. The Minister for Public Works said the Government would accept Mr Duncan’s motion, and cause inquiries to be made immediately. If the facts were as stated, something would have to be done. The reports were then reforred to the Government for consideration, and the dicCussion ended.