UNDER CRITICISM

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 274, 25 November 1935, Page 3

UNDER CRITICISM

Democrat Leader ALLEGEDLY UNFAIR SAYS MINISTER OF FINANCE (Per Press Association) AUCKLAND, Last Night. In a lengthy statement the Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, comments on the attempts of the Democrat leader, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, to make political capital out of the Audi-tor-Geneteal’s report. Mr Coates deals, in the statement, with a number of accounts and shows that the AuditorGeneral, had made no suggestion of maladministration, but Mr Hislop had taken; some remarks concerning the presentation of the figures and quoting them apart of the context, had referred to them as juggling and had adduced them as evidence of maladministration. •

Mr Hislop’s comments, said Mr Coates, constituted a very unfair attack upon Itlhe integrity of some Civil Servants holldinlg highly responsible posts. r< An example of certain transactions between two sub-accounts within the public accounts taken from the 1934 rejporti of the Controller and Auditor-General is quoted by Mr Hislop. To usei his own words f so that the public imiay understand the methods, used fal juggling with the accounts.’ Here again the example is quoted away from, the context, which includes the following statement by the Controller and Auditor-General. —‘I would like to make it clear that in making

these comments the Audit Office in no way raises, nor has s!t! ever raised, any objections (to the actual transactions! theanselves, which are quite legitimate and in accordance with the law, and have been subjected to -audit invests gaitflon arid duly passed as in order." “In view of the very questionable tactics (adopted by Mr Hislop and th® Democrats, I would earnestly warn the effectors against accqptiin)g at their face value tany .allegations which may be madO during the next few days.