AUDIT ENQUIRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1595, 27 October 1905, Page 2

AUDIT ENQUIRY.

(Pet Press Association.) Wellington, yesterday. The Audit Commission resumed to-day. Mr Fisher, M.H.R., intimated that he would now appear personally, Mr Jelliooe, his counsel, having withdrawn. The Commission said the inquiry must be oonfined to three points: (1) Whether a voucher signed by payee could disappear without any record on the Department’s books; (2) whether a vouoher was issued to Captain Seddon at Christohuroh as alleged; (3) did Captain Seddon ever claim or receive any such payment or eign any suoh vouoher ? Mr Fisher said be had understood that the inquiry would be into the whole audit system, and simultaneously into the alleged payment to Captain Seddon. The President said he could understand Mr Fisher making suoh a mistake. It was a natural one, but the limitation of the inquiry Bhould have been obvious to his counsel.

In reply to Mr Fisher’s request for books aud papers from the Ohristchureh post office, Mr Skerrott said every reasonable opportunity of inspecting the books aud papers would be given. Collins, assistant secretary to the Treasury, under ornss.examination by Ms Fisher, said theiL; ~as no possibility of a payment being made without a record in the Treasury. Mr Fisher: Would it not be possible for yon to pass through a fraudulent vouoher ? Witness: I don’t think so. Mr Fisher: Not if you tried very hard? Judge Donniston: Imagine yourself a olever forger. Witness : It would have to go through too raauy hands. Mr Fisher: Couldn’t you put it through ? Witness: No.

CAPTAIN SEDDON'S BAD WRITING

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, last nighi

Giving evidence to-day before the Audit Commission, Robert Collins, assistant seoretary to tbe Treasury, said that ho could not oonoeive tbe possibility of a fraudulent voucher passing through the Treasury, Defence, and Audit Departments without detection. There would be a record in the Treasury books of any document that was passed through, whether fraudulent or not.

James Hey wood, secretary to the Treasury, said he wa3 quite satisfied that payments oould not be made out of publio aooounts without a reoord appearing. All receipts of payments to Captain Seddon were signed R. J. Seddon. None were signed R. J. S. Seddon. Mr Fisher produced a document which bore the three signatures, R. J. S. SeddoD, and asked if that did not oontrovert his statement, Witness: I suppose it does.

Mr Fißher: The point 1 wish to get out is this—Mr Heywood has statsd that no voooher wa3 signed R J. 8. Seddon, and I have established the fact that there wee a voucher so signed. Mr Fisher then prooeeded to examine the witness concerning a voucher signed by R. J. 8. Seddon as claimant, approved by R. J Seddon as Minister of Defence, and signed in quittance by R. J. S. Seddon. Willis pat to witness samples of tbe handwriting of Captain Seddon, saying he wished to show that Captain Seddon wrote so bad a hand, and that hie signature was so variable, that a wituess might almost take a justifiable affidavit that it was anything.