CANDIDATE'S CHARGES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15956, 18 October 1922, Page 5

CANDIDATE'S CHARGES.

ALLEGED FREEDOM WITH STATE STORES.

INVESTIGATION PROMISED.

(Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day,

Colonel T. W. MacDonald, Independent candidate for Wellington East, opened his campaign last Week with a speech containing a number of charges against the Government's administration. He alleged undue preference in Crown lands disposal, and stated that a large amount of valuable Defence stores had been given to a former high-salaried officer of the Defence Department, and that the State* had to pay the cost of transport of gifts to the officers' house, thi.s expense including iir.st-class railway passes for officers who attended at the donee's residence to hand over the gifts. Another allegation made by the candidate related to the Audit Department's statement that £2(500 worth of stock had not been properly accounted for, Colonel Mae Donald suggesting that tho real deficiency was nearer £40,000. Sir Heaton Rhodes, Minister of Defence, made a statement to the House yesterday, in reply to the charges relating to tho Defence Department. There was, he said, only one officer to whom the charge regarding Defence stores could refer, namely, Colonel Nichols. Tvyo obsolete heavy guns had been offered to local bodies, but refused. Colonel Nichols arranged for them to bo handed to him, and subsccpiently a G4-pound gun was transferred to the Oamaru Borough Council, a seven-inch gun and a number of obsolete rifles were presented to Colonel Nichols, the general officer commanding. These were delivered to his residence. He paid various items relating to the cost of transport, but declined to recognise certain charges, totalling £ls 3s lOd. Tho dispute was referred to the Crown Law officers, who advised that the claim could not be enforced. The amount was, therefore, written off. This, added Sir Heaton Rhodes, was the whole explanation of the charges of wholesale free gifts of Defence stores. Mr. Glenn, chairman of the Defence Committee, suggested that the whole of the charges relating to the Defence Department might be referred to them for enquiry.

Sir Heaton Rhodes replied that he had no objection. A member: Will you call Colonel MacDonald?

Mr. Massey: Certainly, I shall make it my business to clean this up. Mr. Holland asked the Premier what he would do in connection with Colonel MacDonald's charge that £40,000 woTth of stores were missing, and that the Government knew it? . Sir Heaton Rhodes: He does not say Defence stores.

Mr. Massey replied that so far as the Government could investigate the. charges it would do so, as it had .no intention of covering anything up.. Of course, at election time people said things which it was difficult to know whether to take seriously or to ignore. They were in the habit of making exaggerated statements. Mr. Howard: Yes, about flags. Mr. Massey concluded by declaring that the whole, of the charges would be investigated, because the Government had nothing to hide.