The Phantom "Voucher."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7989, 28 November 1905, Page 4

The Phantom "Voucher."

Report «t tie Eiqiiry Commission. (Contiauttl iroin Tagv 2.) 'lh« allugvd voucher must, if it existed, bava bevn forwai\i«-d by the Treasurary to Mr MclMh. Hie Chief ltfetmuier at Christchuirh. in order that he might, on obtaining, n duly >ign«l acquittance, countersign the cheque; and the choice, if it existed, must huve tt*»n upun the Christchurch Uranch of thv Ikink of New Zealand. This is admitted by Mr Willis and Mr tfgher. The vouchers fur the perHni have bom examined, ami theiv are none during that period in favour of Captain Seddon for the reorgaideation of Defence Stores, or for any liayiui»nt at Ohristchurch. It has admitted that the allcg\tl v«>uchi*r was for a sum of between £7O ami £BO. and for the period between the Ist Dccwubcr, 1903. and Deccuiljcr, 1904 ; and, in order ihat a full margin for error might be allowed. every chequu issued on the •t hristchurch -branch of the bank during that period for sum* of from £lo to £l<mi has lnvn compan-d. each with its relative voucher, 'lilt Departmental e.xaminat ion ! covemi imlii'd. a much wider ranamely trom April, UH«. to dune. ifHi.Vand the result of th ,H rt' exainin-atiom has Ihvu proved to be that there j.» no entry of any such claim,or pay ment. thai no che<iue was 'issued for any such claim of payment, that no voucher existed r'o any »uch claim or payment, and 1h it thr* pavments to Cj»piaii ddon support«tl by the vouchers al rtady to an- the only pa/ meirts mode to him duriinr the [i>r io;l in question. Captain S.-d gave evidence belore us. am was cor*s«exani»ncd by Jmtl Mr Fislier Hnd Mr Willis. He slat** « :tr(.!iatirally that he hud never perfon>k"»l .-griy stick service as thnt alje.i I. that he had never claime* lor any mi« h service, that be ha.

never signed any acquittance to nro voucher in Christchurch. nor ivcciv <d any chM|Uc fCoUnlorsij-fHHI by an; I'hrislclmrch official. Mr Cipher with out hesitation aduiitltd that he was satislUtl with Captain Sfddon's cvi deuce, arid thai he now fully Iklieved thai Captain Svddon had nev ci" rAvivitl any pawnent for. noi > tiuitU' any claitu for, ihw reoiijaniza tu»i» of IMencc* Stnres. end ids. thai, if h*» IMp had haprior to the *.!Bth July. ih.- .n (ormalion h* had olitain«il dur»n< the rourK' of this imiuiry, 1;,- woub ■ not hav»» made ih«! madi- b« him in th<* Jlouh.-. Mr \Villi> n IM . admitted, Hut not so ftvdy, that n« surh claim or pa\m, nt had 1,.-, i juali* lo or by Captain S.-ddon.

a With regard to the surest ion that Voucher nright tuu.jMi'l init of tho linjKTjal ino'iovs. thtrjl»ort fulh; sets oul the >y«f.n • with tf» pa>n.«m> «■ b iralf of fhi* Imfferia! War (Ml'nv. : which iwyin-.-utfc, not audii- ; ftl, were nil n-r-ordeJ. and Mr U iMiallowixl to tnsp.r( the .Mne> In tlie4>ooks uwd for iht- purjos,- • thi» Trea.siiry tH'parin i i,t. - j 'lln* ccuti'ntion that the ail paymont hav» tim.le t.ui <rt imppi-st -ULVotint d Mtriss. las in. :j possible under ih« .\vsuiu adopt id \>\ llr»- Treasury in tdatirm to imprest at' t.'irrtJj. Moreover tho Commis-hio;:.--s 'stat«' that il %-as prov.d that Captain SeJdon never hail an iinaccouiTt. 'l"h»? conclu*-on.> arrival at by the Comniis>ion«rs» are r.*> I'ollcws : V»« thcri*f< re lind that it has b«vti \ c-tablishitl that in) voucher was in llic voars ItHKS—I issued in lavoui of Captain for pa>n :i n! in him at Christchurch out o» :he I'ub lie Accwmt of n sum U*tuy«ii aiiif LSO for any other sjnin). for the r'Hjfjgam/ation < f m fe (l ce Sior.f. at Uiillinglon. or any .ther service. j a.'Fd that Ca[rtain Scd.lon has neC(>r cfainiert or ri-cei\ed an\ such pay«.i»t. or signal any sucii \omher Having come to this coiiclusion u]>evidenev which has demonstrate** thr'impossibility of exist.tue a treuuinc voucher, such u s has Ihvh allo-.tl to have | H vn SfH-n b> Willis, Larcombe. and W'.«st. it js in»t actually to deal with the evi<hncv bv which the r.xisiena of stjch a voucher has Ihvh etideavoupd to' in- siil>stant iated. but think it othisabU* to rei.r to such t'\ idence. Tins evtdi*nce has lnvn pvin by Messrs Willis, Larc< tnU-. W.-st, and f.uirdon.

Mr Lmiiloii sialic that in t lk* ym IUOI. a' uhirh particular [KTtini hr /cannot ssy. Im; hi Hunks it was in .lanuan , nn<J uhilc he was iinplovitJ in ihr C*hi«*f IN»st ma.st«?r's room nt ('hnsnhiin h. h. haw a voucher; am! thai th.- r«ctipt jmrpi»ritil to 1 J S. Si.rtih n." 1!»» ntn. inlujs nothing i'lm'. lie rannot stutr ihj« tlj;- nor i»n what s« r> io- ii v:.s ma«lc out. nor nn;. oi Ili«> <!«• taius cojitkrUfi with it. If,» ihii in iht» signal ur»» thr * l». * and "Si%hitn" all tha. an I 'iistiiM't. ami ♦.\rr.« not run ff.hrr Hi alt. nml tha» th-- siuna tiilthoujjll possi ,i »i|i',' soni'■ -innl.u i' V io ('Mptain Snl loii';, signal ;m v.J-.n !>• sijirns " li. .! > .Mom."' 'was in a l>o\ish ham; a I was not like any uj I Ii" lli« ac((ih(tan(r-iiroiliid .1 h«f UK sipmri l» C.ip?ain S.«hSt»n IK* admits fhat it U£ts nt.t until ai t»r Mr Fi.sh»r math- his -jMt-h in the i ]ioiis«> of roprosenlativi«s ut f}i>> **tttJ O' -lill\that hj«» !!«•!I this jnri'ii'iit to his nuMiiorv. ami thai prior to. ami at (h«- tilm*. ami sintt the tinu» hj" a11.—.-s hj- saw this vt »;rh> r. h«* han»lh-i| a irr.Mr nnmlx-i <H oilwr voi|.;h. r<. |»ui <an not rt-coUfcl the naiiif or to any of them. Mr fi«rcomlx\ also nn official in lh" Chiijf I'ost Christchnrrh. s• a' s thai in the yrar il was hi. ihny at tinifS to ihar ih.'tlhiL-f J' l 1 1 inastor'N l>askcl of all rorn*spt>n--1 ami rfCviptt-d vouchers tli-alt with, ami that on oik* onasir.n in charing' the Itfskcl h«* cani»* across x tt' r a-iptotl vouchor which. to tin —f)i\< t of his Trlii*, was hi'a<l<t| "('apt«in I? S. SifMini." ami wav it'J th" rcorgii>a/«tii;n oi Stor.-s s,i\s that took shi- vouchor to Mr Willis, and that Willis «\an. it ami ci>iain<-nti>.i upon ,'f ii his f , to th*- fact that 'li - -. r\ice ( laiim-.-w».i stut.iil it> ha\»» 11" ni p»*riorii'n in WfllinKlun. antl thai In* M.ar coll'" r th»n» took the \o«|i*h--! l'> tl;. Ch'.-f room, Mii>i pui it ■ wh- r - nvi-iptifl \ w i.' [ilarvtl. lit- M.i'cs that hj" th. ,i Mtri.i th' * matt Of to Mr Hm. an.l ihai Ah Vol w».-iit nn'l s*\t ihe voucher, antl that h' also on the same i|a\ m»j. * li«» -I thr matter to his wife. Wt' Willis's evii|i'nc«» i- ihaf ] ftjii.t Mnriitg th«* >ear IfHM Larnnnbe j L|jru»"ht th»» vencher to him. ami he I V* I-' saw that if Va- I(.; t (i. r-nf 4n fi nr of t'apf'iiii K .1 If'don. nwl tlnl\ ri-c-ip'."! It .1 I p¥l**{|f!:.n." niul that th- hi.rt icuiiir■- in rlhe tiOilv l>f tile Voucha;- -tai.'l | jt was for tfv ivoi'jfaiti/at ion "i I - lencv St in Wellington, ami i.» t *n anioimt : soimthinir C7 l ' Ik i touk it tg a v.imlow au-i

examined it cioselx. ami discussed it for some fi\e or six minutes with l.arceiube. .1 ikl that (lien l,arcombe look it back to the Chief Postmaster's room. Afterwards. hi- sa.v*. West went into thal*room ami saw the voucher, ami then came buck and discussed it with ium (Willi*; ami l.amjmbe. Mr West states that l.arcoinbc asked him to go and I<>ok at the voucher. arid ilint he tint so. and examined it. ; t i,il that it «a;-j vouch t»r in favour of Captain K. J. S Seddon. lor an amount exneding £7". for thr reorpinazation of lvfeno St oivs. Willis and LaiToMiix- rarii state in ali'rrlavits made h\ them on the Ith August. in the report of thi' proceedings before the AuditnMu»niTal) that Hie iiiiiniim was chargtd against i!;-■ hen nee Vote, hut that th»\ cannot ivim-m-hi-i what pari o» surh vote. Willis, l.art'ornl , , ami >\»M all stato thai the ivason for 1 heir scrutiny of the voucher was that th.-v

consit!er»«l it an improper pa\ u:cnt, Ivcause they thought tha* Captain Soliion wa"* inc> ni|>ot» iH to }►■ rl'orm «ht» work chared lor ; yet. although Willis was an active VohuiiePr olliivr. at.-'l all were dail> in th-- haMt of lmnd 'ing vouchers. no one of lh*-ui is prepared to state who was the | certifying ollicer. who the approving officer. to j voucher which they say attract**)] their attention as mn ! for an itnpropei .na.\ tnent. It is hard jlo iindetstand how* t h»*ir Memories jean be defective in respect to this j important and prominent feature in a voucher I» their examinat ion of the l,x-nn;.-i;f was so incomplete 1 hat tlh-se essential matters were nof noticed by 1 hem. very httle reliance ran be placed upon what the\ state concerning the oMwr matt, is : . if their memories are so def.-etive that they haw forgotten who it was who certified to the performance of the service, and who it was who authorised its- payment, then the value of their recollection of the other matters stated' by th'-m suffers ac•oidingly. It is sullicieiit for us to say that, had they Invn able to -tato the names of the certifying; ind approving officers, inquiry Yould have Ik-VU inad. k of the*.e officers. and thc : r failure or omission to give such information has closed this avllOt*. Nu one of them is able to 'yive any approximate jil.-a of the date at which they claim to have seen such a document. Although they say it may have l*vn in the Ireginning of the year, ihej n«»ne of thein \t li -ay whelher it was in tlie summer "dumn, winter, or spring of 10»> V ; ;ach one preferring to rest upen the general statement that it was between tho beginning of lltuj niu! the date of the hearin.tr of the S«.|.lon- l'a\ lor case in IH-O'tuber, 1' I. " The** all admit thai it was th:

practice to enter the number an:lair of receipt «-d vouchers in a iv jord-book ki"[»t iit the Christehu it}; IVM-otlice. ami apparently it \vouu haV I the" duty of one or other »l these witness's to have •n* h s particular voucher: bnt «tn e\ atninalion of this b«»ok demons! ra;'e>hat no such voucher has b«en «h erod. The entries in this book hav, »vu compared with the Tre;isun •••cord of vouchers sen? in Christ, hurch in I. and ape.« wilh ii •here !»«.'intr two minor cleri'a! »*r *ors onl\ —<-lit* in which Id. is nitero;' I I *.M. and the ul here whr re <>: d is iiit'-n-d a-, Is. If Ihi; ojicht r did in facl . no jvasm las Jern gi\ en 11\ these \\ ii iii-sst I .vhy' it should net ha\e been niirnV. ; i due course in this book. I In conclusion, we state thai. il laving »H-»-n proved that i n v< ur!i. • orr<->pind ii.' in any pari ieuiar wit! ; he one ;ilh*iii*d to h.-.Ve been seen b\ I h:se «iHic»M's u.is ever i-r..iieh; ji> o existence by or on Itehaii of Cap- ' ain Seddon. the e\ i jence of th.se ; vitn,>s,-s ci»n onh be explain.,! );• 'or thr.t- \\.«\s—il) that the;, ['lav.- Inouinuh sial.d uliai was un ' riu,- ; i2) 'bat th'-> ha\e j;i-.'n h<»a\ j d by son.,- oil'* ih s-.me Ui-\ 1 0 '»g a hogiis voucher in the Chrisihurch I'#•.-»! —*(this i*» ih- iheo:\ hat th>\v h;i \.■ t d I hfiiis.'Ri-t tlto Ih- lieliel thai some \ nlM'hiT •osMbh a "Sirtsidon" \ourl.er. s.t; y thin v.us >he \o.icher in r. >t wh.ch they hav.- 'jj\en e\id--iM-f

It is not n.-ce>»ai v :ind.-r :he »f lII* r.-ferem-e fi . i , t< • lid v.e do "not h*« l rji'-d upon l< •\| r *s. ,iii\ op ii:< »i , i.i v. hinio: h»->f pos-i1.%- t-\i»hihiit iocs ihm»st j>-asoii;»ble. \\hat>*\'"i" ma\ 1,.- the most reason. d»le e\p!anall« ri oi Ih.- evi.l.nce oi h.->«- utt ti'-sv,--.. ue iind >»p.'ei!icail\ h.it tli.-re nev.-r Uas an;, un.um • •.out h.-r or d«enimi lit in ill.- ('lu i.-i hureh I'».>t-iitlire which coul.l havt irtVui. .i ai;> reasonable irronnl for !l • • .11. *ti)eHt s l;|<lde by lhe>».- V. i"We ;- t n ali v i.j. ri . in ai:-« • r U\ he • i He- I: o| j.-ielTrii 1., lis i-\ the

1. Thill a »r I,i, V ill. TM -It hi acct 'iht Isv 1.,111- nit ilk' I'nblir *.»«•», J |.\ rh - |»a* .•• coilhl •Ml .li-.ilppear without » i.-nir.! t ( ; »s or pawm-nt 1,. it:- K-;i in • v iin ni :•! i- t ol- nr i.-con;>. LV 'Midi in t h«* .nl'Jn::-! ~, vm)|[ }j -c u.i*. i K, ~i" i'iiphi i-tfliiin h out i<i Mi" I'uMir \c•.mrr -t a >'llll ,f ir-M\ t:7" it,!'l •«t ,]i,\ i.t r -inn j. !<>r 1 lie r.an•/,.<!( !, I"r'nuv 5t,,,-.-. < r Hi\ ■ s. nir.-. •T Thai, Captain S- • *.i«*11 ha- i.r\.T or r»iviv.-il (! m such p.,\• nwiu or *i.jm-ti nu\ vouch. r. 'Hi- aUllioh-e S lis 'o malx l slit h r»-*'on::m'i.<lai ion- a- Within*, I • i r-fh-f-t inu r,.«t •;?, - and u'tn .s in tin- impiir\ . H-' !»(•'!,in i;.i rii.it ill.- utl m-s-i-s. \hssi.- i aro<tii) >•. I.nmhn. |t.ii I their expense- of iiMi'ihlaiH'r. • i.t Im|.n-_' tli»-ir -ii-amer tap*. to } e nilmv<-<i at the rate of I2s a il.iy. v. iih an c\lra allowance »f :*v per nij;ht for each niuht on which *h. \ wi-r'i' ie-r»*ssaril\ absent ivm their f--J «.f! r»e hone-.-. Mr Will's wac !{ t a peculiar po-i----■on. II- was a parly ll>" ii 11!' i » ami Iv ha- ».•:eJalii h or ;n : n:;. w;u m-tii; the ;,lhat i* inail'' l.y Inn;. 'low ever. t lie* I'art thai til.* in'jMiiv was or a' puMic luinin-. an-' that lie '•*it«lance ami pie— nee w.-- r.-rjtiir. tl Uy 111.- four'. ainl that hi- -ah,r\ hail if-ir-'-il. he haxijej !•••• n suspended from hi- „nUv. we rft'oiniii-'ii'l iha I h«> piiitl ai i hi- r;:(i' «i 12i «l;i\ 'nun ami including (he *.M-t UMt.y uti 1 il «t 11 •I f in- hiding the 7th Nov«'iiilt.-r. T'.U'.y with an i*\»ra all«»uan'«- of :i- i'.»r ni^lil luriiii: ih.it |N-rii <1 that nl>-s«-nt iVoin Chvistrhurvh. I 'h» r with his r..i!'\;}\ anrl irtiiu (lirlsfrlniMli to Well i nir' "n and Tf»111 t,> Chrislthinih W'o fo-uan! '.rilh rhi- n»|«or» a •Op\ r»I 111:' I11»M-H< - ol ii!Pll''«' laK- • n a ; Urn iiiijtjirv . \\- haw .1 K I>T.\ \IS I(l N .1. W U. KI'W .1 Tin.o roorr/.t. .J