RATION OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 278, 23 August 1945, Page 6

RATION OFFICERS

No Instruction To Take Bribes

STATEMENT IN HOUSE

A report lie had received from the Public Service Commissioner, Mr. J. 71. Boyes, concerning an allegation made during the prosecution of two rationing inspectors that inspectors were instructed to take bribes when offered and to pay the money into the Public Account was read to the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister ot Supply, Mr. Sullivan. The Public Service Commissioner, who stated that he had terminated the employment of the inspectors concerned, reported as follows , ~ "I have investigated the allegation that rationing inspectors were instructed to take bribes when offered and to pay the money into the Public Account. After full investigation I am satisfied on the following lacts: No instructions were given by the food controller or by any authoritative person that bribes were to be accepted in any circumstances. No official approval of any suggestion of the practice of taking bribes and paying them into the Public Account .was given or implied. At the conference in May, the food and rationing controller gave a clear warning to all inspectors that a bribe had been offered in one case and that bribes must not be accepted. It has been the practice of the controller when new staff are being engaged to warn appointees that they must resist any suggestion of bribes. At the conference which took place about the time that the question of a bribe being offered was mentioned in a Wellington case, some inspectors, during a break in proceedings, discussed among themselves the value as evidence of £uilt, of being able to prove that a bribe had been offered. It is possible that they had in mind the Court's rejection of an unsupported statement that a bribe had been made, and one man suggested that proof would be available if the money were taken and paid into the Public Account. Subsequently the same point was raised in an informal discussion among inspectors in the Auckland office, but there was no agreement that the practice of taking bribes and paying them into the Public Account should be adopted. “The taking of bribes in any circumstances whatever is entirely contrary to the ethical standard expected of all public servants in’ their dealings with the public. It was admitted that these men, Lockery and Harvey, did in fact take the money, from whatever motive. They had been warned that they must not take money, and I regard them as having, by their action, shown their unfitness to remain in the Public Service.”