MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1921, Page 5

MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT.

A JOCULAR REMARK, LEADS TO SOLEMN INQUIRY. By TslegiMph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. London, June 10. The inquiry of the tribun/1 into the Sutton case reports that Mr. Sutton, without instructions from his superiors, made a ha&ty and foolish remark about losing important papers, which he immediately withdrew. Mr. Sutton’s remark Wac not made with any improper motive* his only desire being to hasten the winding up of the department’s w.k. Mr. Loseby’a allegation, though in good faith, was not sustained. f-Ar cablegram on April 25 stated: At Hhe opening sitting of the Munitions Inquiry Committee, Mr. Loseby, a member of the House of Commons, who origtaated the charges, called two witnesses, fonnerPv accountants in the Ministry of Munitions. They gave evidence Umml E. J. Sutton, occupying an important petition in the Ministry, instructed a meeting- of 30 members of the staff to destroy Awumente called working papers for the purpose of preventing the audit officials from nosing too deeply into the aoouunta. The witnesses thought no papers irore destroyed, as the staff feared the consequences would he serious to theaneelves. The cross-examination suggested tha* the alleged instructions were merely a jocular remark during a dificuMioa on the necessity of expediting the Bqpddation of the Ministry’s accounto, and that the witnesses were actuated by resentment in consequence of their adweqnent discharge owing to retreatment.}