CIVIL SERVICE INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 113, 10 February 1928, Page 9

CIVIL SERVICE INQUIRY

procedure adopted EXPLAINED BY MR. BALDWIN Rugby, February 8. The Prime Minister informed the House of Commons yesterday of the procedure being adopted regarding inquiry into, certain statements affecting Civil servants made in a recent law case He said: “The matters in question arise out of the special obligations of the Civil Service. They should, therefore, in the first instance be investigated bv a Service tribunal, this is the method which would be followed in the Army or Navy in courts of inquire. Proceedings in such cases are private. Evidence is not usually taken upon oath nor under the limitations which prevail in courts of law. -e--ports of courts of inquiry are published onlv in exceptional circumstances. Courts of inquire are not for the purpose of inflicting sentence or punishment, and have no , executive value. Their function is solely to ascertain facts, on which higher authorities can act. In the present case the Government will be informed of the facts by the Board of Inquiry. The Government will then decide what action is iiecessarv or appropriate, and will inform Parliament accordingly. In view of all the circumstances in this case, it is proposed that the report of the Board of Inquire shall be presented to Parliament simultaneously _ with Hie announcement of the decision of the Government upon it.”—British Official Wireless.