THAT THOUSAND MISSING

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 2

THAT THOUSAND MISSING

The Man From The Corner Has a Say "You're just m time, Mr Man, if you have anything worth while 'to say, for we go to press m the next ten minutes." "Gopdoh, there is a word or two to say this morning." "About?" \ "The Missing- Thousand. Sounds much like a horse race or a boxing purse or some such, but you know what I'm driving at." ~ "Well, for a start-off can you tell us where Mr Xis just now? We did hear a word that he had been seen m Auckland,' and, strangely enough, just about the time the mail boat pulled out for Vancouver." " 'Truth', I'm really surprised that you should .pay attention to all these idle rumors. As a matter . of . fact there was some talk of his being up there and apparently he .was; maybe a pure fluke, but anyhow heVback m Wellington, or was a day or two ago." . V ' • "Anything further to be done?" "Ssh! Very quietly, yes something, but just how much is not very clear for ; the moment. A .search warrant has been executed at the place where the books and papers involved used to be kept and a Big Chief auditor is looking over them." ■. "It is- rather surprising- that the Union's own auditor did not give some information as to what he found, if he did find anything worth mentioning. Don't you think so?" "No, he probably claims to work on doctor's lines, with sealed lips and all the rest, of it." "We would like to make a rough bet*- that an average - sensible Magistrate would make short work of breaking the seals if he had him before him m a witness box." • "Possibly, but the point is that the auditor could not be placed m the box unless a charge was laid, even thoughhe would be the most important witness of the lot. The police reckoned that they did not know enough to lay any charge so they did nothing beyond expressing unofficial opinions." "You suggest that there will be something doing this time? Who by?" "Sorry, 'Truth', the nearest I can go is to say that some friends of the man most concerned started the ball rolling m its present roil." ■ "Did they lay a charge?" "No, but they saw the right man and he didn't, either, but, he recommended a. second audit." i "Tell us some more." "Not to-day, but you may hear the whole story m the official manner fairly shortly." "Well, the sooner the better. There has been too much delay already and if the man is to face the music the Courts ought to tune up as s*oon as possible, and if there is actually nothing against him to. warrant the laying of a charge it is just" about- time that the air was .cleared." "If the man is innocent it is up to his pals to help clear him instead of putting obstacles m the way." v