THE VOUCHER INCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7929, 19 September 1905, Page 2

THE VOUCHER INCIDENT.

Important Memo by the Premier. \ Public Inquiry into Audit System (Per Press Associatien.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 18. The Premier has handed the following memorandum to the press for publication "The inquiry to be held by Sir James Prendergast and Mr H. S. Wardeil is the one provided for in cases where public servants have transgressed the Civil Service Act and regulations, and they have to report whether or not the postal oflicersi, at Christchurcli transgressed the rules and regulations, and to make such recommendations in respect thereto as thoy .consider the circumstances merits "Another and very serious matter has cropped up. One of the postal officials, in his defence, practically aI J leges that the audit system, if judged by what took place at the late investigations, is defective, and leaves it open for fraud to be perpetrated, and inferentially points to the want' of a complete check on the payment of public moneys, and Mr Fisher, M.H.R., in his letter to the Premier also demuts to the audit and its system and investigations, 'and says that there is a possibility that the voucher alleged to have been seen by the postal officers might still exist. To set the matter at rest, once and for all, and more particularly as to whether our audit system and the checks upon the payment of public money Is 00mpleteor otherwise, it. was decided by the Government early this evening to appoint three judges to hold an inquiry, the inquiry to be public, and all parties to be represented by counsel if they so desired. The in-, quiry is to take glace as early as possible."