The Fisher Charges.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 13927, 4 August 1905, Page 5

The Fisher Charges.

MORE DOCUMENTS. i&EB'SEDDON'S SUPKBMiB CONTEMPT<

Per Press Association. 1 Wellington, Aug. 3. The Premier read to the House this evening correspondence having -a bearing on statements made by Mr Fisher on the previous afternoon^ Under today's date Mr Seddon sent the following memorandum to the Secretary to the Treasury: — "It having been stated that a voucher went through the Treasury with Ministers' names on the face of it, in ' payment/ for a wreath for the late Hon. Mr Walker's funeral, I desire a complete search to foe made, and to be informed if isuch voucher passed through tlw Treasury as a payment of public moneys to any claimant." The reply of tfce Assistant Secretary to the .Treasury 1 was as follows :—"I: — "I have to report that a thorough search has 1 been made in tho Treasury books, and I can find no trace of any voucher ns having passed through the Treasury as a payment out of public moneys for a wreath for the late Hon. Mr Walker's funeral, with Ministers' names on the face of it/ The Premier wrote as follows to tli© Secretary of the Treasury :— "I desire you to make enquiries and -have complete search made <as to whether a voucher for payment to Captain Seddon of between £70 and £80 for the organisation of defence stores has been made and- passed* through the Treasury." The Assistant Secretary to the Treasury replied :—"I: — "I have to report that a complete search has been made in the Treasury books, and there is b.o record of tho payment to Captain Seddon of between £70 and £30 for the organisation of defence stores as having been made and, passed through the Treasury, or of ajrn 7 other sum for the service mentioned above." On the Premier's motion these doc-, uments were ordered to lie on the table and be printed. Mr Seddon stated that a photographic copy was being made of the voucher for wreaths for Mr Walker's funeral that was ask&d for yesterday, and it would be laid on the table of the "House in due cours* "I think/ he added, "I will be bestconsulting my own dignity • and ' the desires oi members if I treat -any further, reference, to this matter with supreme^ contempt." . ' During the Financial Debate Mr| Hogg took- occasion to disavow any sympathy with the recent charges made by members of the New Liberal Party against the Premier. He belonged, He said, to a small band, of ardent reformers who, .wore not as- *. piring to - position, and /cared very j little for wealth. The party, as originally formed, had unfortunately been of a somewhat composite char-: acter. Some of its members had un^ doubted ability, but they proved that they lacked the necessary quality . of discretion. Mr Hogg went on to say that Friday^s attack on the Government was not a party move. There was no meeting,, and -the party as a whole, was never consulted. As & member -df that party— and ho thought he might say of the bettor part of the party— he could say they knew . north; ing about it, (no more than did tb« -Premier himself. No members of th| House had felt more severely shocked by the action of certain- individuals connected with that party than the leading- members of the party— the men to whom he had alluded as reformers. He had had no connection with the charges against the Premier and members of his family, and did not believe that his colleagues ha^ bad any connection with them. H$ would not be associated with any party that would sully the sanctity of public life by indulging, in person nalities such as he had heard sin the Hofcise. < Later, the Hon. C. H. t Mills "dejprcj cated the attack 'on the Premier, and said it must be acknowledged on aH sides that Mr Seddon had sacrificed himself and his health in the interests of 'the colony.