THE VOUCHER ACCUSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7920, 8 September 1905, Page 2

THE VOUCHER ACCUSATION.

DEBATE IK PARLIAMENT. Mr Fisher Still Obstinate. Was it Hallucination ? (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 7. of Representatives afternoon, the dtlttatc took J a ca on the Audi tor-General's report on the allegetji payment to Captain Sed-

I hePremier moved "that the report of the Controller and Auditor(.enernl be adopted ; also (1) that this House is satisfied that the charge against Captain Seddon of improperly receiving payment for reorganising defeuce stores, 'and against Messrs Collins, Grey, and McBeth of giving untrue certificates relating thereto has been completely refuted and never should have boon miid£ ; .(2) that in the case of Captain Seddon, this House regrets that the chargo against him should have been reiterated after it had been shown to be unfounded; (8) that it be an instruction to the Supervisor of Hansard and the Government Printer to insert in tho bound copies of Hansard, at the end of the speech m«wlo by the member lor Wellington, Mr F. M. B. Fisher, in which the charge was first made, and at the end of every debate wherever subsequent reference was made thereto, in Hansard, a copy of the Controller and Auditor-General's report, and that attention be drawn to the said report, and to this resolution ; and that intimation ba givenHhat the said charges have/Heen investigated and refuted."

Mr Fisher declared that his witnesses could not possibly haw made a mistake in stating they had seen the voucher payable to -It. J, g. Seddon, and urged ip fairness to them that tho Government grant a puljlic inquiry. If "that were granted there would -be exceedingly startling disclosures.

. Mr McNa-b moved an addition to tho Premier's motion congratulating the Treasury officials and Captain Seddon upon the vindication of their reputations.

Mr Taylor also urged that a public inquiry should be hold. Sir J. G. Ward pointed out that some of the Post Office officials at Christchurch had broken tho regulations by disclosing - information ■vhich they wera bound to keep secret.

The voucher debate proceeded throughout tho evening.

Mr Laurenson admitted that thd weight of evidence was overwhelming against any payment whatever, having been mado to Captain Seddon for reorganising defence stores. It was suggested in the courso of the debate that the whole thing was based on hallucinations on the part of the Christchurch post office officials, but Mr Fisher ridiculed this suggestion.

Mr Seddon said as to these officials thero would be a Departmental inquiry, and it would be private or public as the Governor-in-Councll determined.

Mr Massey said ho was in complete accord with the Auditor-General's report, but ho objected to the Prei mier's proposal to interfere with Hansard. Ho also thought Mr McNnil's amendment was unnecessary. The debate was proceeding when tho telegraph offlco closed at mid-