AN INTERESTED PUBLIC. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 37

AN INTERESTED PUBLIC. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, May 30.

There was a large attendance of members and also of the public in the House of Representatives to-day, when Mr Seddon laid on the table of the House the report of the Auditor-general* upon the- inquiry into Mr Fisher's charges regarding a. payment alleged to have been made at Christchurch, to Captain Seddon. Amongst the interested audience were her Excellency Lady Plunket, Captain Seddon. Bishop Ntligan. and Mr Waterfield, the Governor's prhate- secretary. The ladies' gallery was crowded" to the doors. The announcement "in the r-general's report that no snch payment had ©ver been made was received with Ministerial " Hears, hears " and applause

Mr Taylor's notice of an amendment -with a view to getting a public inquiry caused some -surprise. Mr Taylor simply gave notice of the amendment, reserving ' his right of speech until he moves it tomorrow.

The Premier, in an emotional reply, con demned Mi- Taylor for sugg^ting such an amendment before he had seen the' (evidence on which the AuditoT-general had bawjd his report. He thought it a serious reflection upon a parliamentary officer. The fact that such an amendment should be- proposed without a tittle of evidence proved the extreme lengths to which the memtec . for Ohristchuroh and those associated -Hfthhim were prepared" to go._ The proposal -was not consistent with British fair play. Mr Seddon, added that his^ position as' Leader of the House and Prima Minisfrar of Ihe country debarred him from descending- to the level of the- honourable gentleman. He (Mr Seddon) ( did , not feor any tribunal, because he knew that the one dt-ai' to him had never received sitcli a pajment. JB.Q said let' it be knoVn. from thfi housetops of this colony that what had led to thp. mistake, in this business had been the. discovery of another Sneddon voucher. The second, Sneddon voucher was for £74- Bs, and had been uaid in June. All the. vouchers asked' for" had bean produced, and .-had -beerr found not 1 to be payable to" Captain' Seddon. That would account for. the 'Government officials bein^ - misled,. and misleading members of the Hou'?a. - -' - \