TICKETS IN TATTERSALL'S

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 52

TICKETS IN TATTERSALL'S

- ««3Sb>————™- * THE COMMISSIONER'S RAID. (FriOM OCH OWK COHKKSPOKDENT.S WELLINGTON, June 2. Tickets in Tattersall's were the subject of brisk speeches in the House to-day. Recently in Wellington the Public- Service Commissioner, "on information received," raided a certain office and commandeered a cash-box and book, which showed that one of the clerks was doing quite a largo business (in Government time) with nis colleagues, Mr Wilford ventilated the matter in the House this afternoon, and endeavoured to throw ridicule on the commissioner for his action. "In my opinion," he said, "no more despicable action has been known for a long time than that of the Public Service Commissioner entering into private affairs of the officers of a department, getting- 'a ladder, climbing to tho top of a safe, and finding out that there are a number of men paying in 6d or Is a week to get a ticket in Tuttersalls. Mr A. D. Thomson invaded the office, went through, tins gymnastic performance of ladder climbing, it has brought him into absolute contempt, and when you see the Public Service Journal writing a leading article on what it ci.lis "A Sample of Discretion," I think the matter h very well and fairly put. The Hon. G. W. Russell gave Mr "Wilford very little sympathy. "If," ho said, "the fact had been known to me that an officer of the Government was acting as agent for Tattorsall's sweeps, that ho was keeping a book during his hours of duty, and receiving subscriptions not only from officers of the department, but soliciting subscriptions from message boys, then whatever steps the Public Service Commissioner took to deal with a matter like that I should have supported.—(" Hear, hear.") It was left to Mr Isitt to put the crowning touch on the incident. Ho said: "I hare heard that one of the clerks was very much di-sgusted at what was being done in business hours by Government employees. Ho made no statement to the Commissioner, but retailed what was going on. His statement was reported to one of the commissioners. The commissioner, acting, I suppose, upon his idea of what was right and proper, made a sudden descent upon that officer, went straight to the place- where this cash box was lying. This cash box contained a book and information that this clerk was acting Government time as agent for TattersallsJ What I can't understand is that there is all this righteous indignation about this wicked young maji who made this statement to the commissioner, and tho commissioner who did this thing. There is not a word of indignation about the clerk reoeiving Government pay and spending time that he should be spending in tho interests of the people of this country. , . Mr Wilfordt We have no evidence of that. ' , . Mr Isitt: What about the innocent cash box and the innocent book.—(Laughter.) I submit that is circumstantial evidence. The incident then closed, but the feeling of the House was that Mr Isitt had put tho •position in a nutshell. Mr Wilford received very little sympathy in his special pleading.