A MINISTER’S MORALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18323, 13 August 1921, Page 6

A MINISTER’S MORALS

NEW SOUTH WALES JUDGE’S SCALDING Kht'OtU■ (Fbou Odb Own Cobeesponuentb.i SYDNEY, July 30. Of all the scathing reports ever made by a Royal Commissioner authorised to inquire into the conduct ot a Aiinistcr of tire Crown —and there have been many such in this country—that published the other day “took the biscuit.” Mr W. G. Ashford was Alimster for Lands in the last Nationalist Government under Air Holman. He is a very able young farmer, immensely popular with all who know him. Just about the end of tho Holman regime some very grave charges of maladministration wore made concerning the Soldiers’ Settlement Branch of the Lands Department. Mr Justice Street made am inquiry under a Royal Commission. He found that charges of the most serious character were proved against a young man named Bryant, who was director of tho branch and Ashford’s right hand man. Tho judge found nothing very serious against Ashford, but he remarked that Ashford and Bryant were married men, and it was suggested that by their association •together in a course ot immoral conduct Brvant has secured an ascendency over Ashford which he used improperly. His Honor commented severely on the fact that Ashford did nothing to rebut this sugS °Ashtord thereupon demanded that the inquiry be re-opened so that ho might reply to tho suggestion. His friends begged him to let the sleeping dog lie, but he persisted. The evidence at the second inquiry, as throwing light into some of tho amusements of the Nationalist Government, was startling. Details were given of Ashford’s alleged intrigue with a tea-room waitress. The judge’s second report did not spare Ashford in any particular. He pieced together tho mass of evidence to form a circumstantial story of tho whole intrigue, and he traces tho career of the young woman in the case from the time in 1915, when she was in certain trouble, until in 1919 she went away to America. The intimacy between her and . Ashford lasted through this period. In ono section of his report tho judge says: . . •‘Gartrcll’s tea-rooms are in tho neighbourhood of Parliament House and are, it is said, much frequented 'by members of Parliament. It is said, too, that some member* are, on wore, in the habit of inviting the waitresses to Parliament House to listen to tho proceedings. Having invited them there, they used also to offer them other hospitality and, to meet the lack of the necessary accommodation in tins respect, an obliging Aiinistcr of the Crdwn used to be found who would be willing to allow- his private room to be turned temporarily into a supper room. Air Ashford was ono of these.” The judge analyses tho lengthy evidence to show that Bryant’s acknowledged mistress and Ashford’s lady were close friend.s. He sums up this way : 1. I cannot accent Mr Ashford ns a candid or truthful witness. 2. Ho has not succeeded in rebutting tho suggestion of immoral conduct made against 5. The additional facts lead fairlv to the conclusion that ho and Bryant, his subordinate officer, were associated together in a course of immoral conduct. 4. It is not improbable that Bryant had an improper ascendency over him.