NOT WARRANTED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3249, 21 June 1916, Page 73

NOT WARRANTED.

MR PAYNE'S WILD QUESTIONS. WELLINGTON, Juno 14. Mr Payne established a record for length in one of his questions to-day, as it ran to 15 inched in length, or well over 1000 words. It had to do with transports, and asked if the Government would set up a Royal Commission to inquire into some 19 different allegations. These ranged from questions as to the professional capacity of the Lloyd's surveyor employed by the Defence Department, to asking if the Union Company's vessels had permanent improvements mado to them at the cost of the taxpayer, and if Messrs Miller Bros. (Port Chalmers) and Mr Miller (Lyttelton) were being paid 10 per cent, on all repairs effected to troopships merely for their superintendence of tho -work involved. Tho Minister of Defence specifically replied to every question. The surveyor, he declared, was a thoroughly competent man. No permanent improvements to the Union Company's vessels were being made as suggested, and the 10 per e< :. ■ n --ion did not obtain, the work be ' out on time at a fco of £2 2* per : or fully all the quest '■'■■: .'. leii declared that the circumstai ■ ':, justify the setting up of aRo ai om >s]on as suggested.