The Phantom "Voucher."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7989, 28 November 1905, Page 2

The Phantom "Voucher."

Report .of liic Inquiry fiomii issioii. The report (dated Nov. 10) of the C omini.ssiou appointed to impine into the made ]»y ivlv M.i 1.1;., that, a vouchor for tho payinent out, oi pid>!i'.; lnuneys at tlie Ciii-jt I'osb Otiico at of !.e----tweLti .C7O isnd X'Bo was issued in favour of Captain 11. J. 8. Jv'eddon lor tho of iKdcnee, st.oivs, was made public on A!i>iid:.y. The jtartieuiar terms of re-i'-Tenee are set out in the ren-.u-t as follows: \U- were aid horded and enijKiwei'ed under Ihe said Couunission to inM MIV 11,1 M ;nal report upon Die J'ol1. Wli. ih.T a \oiieher foi- pa.vnieni. ,;i ' ii-n ainoipit |,y chrju,. on t },;, j> U |>- i": . siL:a-.,l l,y .(he payee. I '' ' ls '"••istene;- or payinent h'" 1<; iu'pari na nl al' hooks or records. -■ VJi-iher in the .wars I'JU'l-l a \oM<'her was issued in ]'a\'our of Captain Se.Mon lor pa.\'!i. t nl i<- him a t Chrisiehurch tan. oi the Public Ae<'{*,J|it «'i ;l s.ini of h;(we. ii tVt» and LSu lor any olher ut r i;, for tho oj'-ani/.al it.n of lh<> Defence Forces or any oilier sen ire. • Ihd Capiaiu S: ddoii ever claim or receive any such payment or any such voucher ? We bewail the inquiry inlo ihesir i,ueslions al on .Mondav, ihe I>:iid ' h;i o'hei'. I'M::., and concluded il on Monday. Die Hlh Nov einher. Ihe Commission having been I'oriuaily read al a public siliiui;' of the Commissioners on Wednesdav, tho Jtfih Ociob.-r,

The in'.[uiry was coivducled in open Court. After selling forth the parties -U the ini|iiiry, and ihe provisitvns made for securing all material evid -nee -as well as the production of -all books and documents relevant tr the inquiry. and that full opportuni-tv was £iven to all parties to examine and *•vss-i'Xaiuinc witnesses, -the Commis(n answer to the lirst (jiieslion. wi' report lo Vour KKeelh-ncy iliat, il has her-n fully es!alblisht'd that no public moneys can be paid out of the Public Account of the colony wii.h out a record of their payment being found in the depart mental books and records, and that no voucher for the paymi'iil of public moneys out of t-lit*. Public Account of the colony can be. aulhoris'd. passed. ..oi paid without a record of its V^i^lcin-e-or payment being i"!'i in ihe depart nieni ai books We have ro\ ; e in ihis couciusio!' 101 "ld\ lipcn the evideni'e advlnced :,vfi,re us by the parlies, bid also upm a personal examination ;>! 'he depa.rl inenl a.l -odices, iu the presence of Mr Fishi r and Mr Willis, of the I'-anner in \chirh claims upon the Public Account >ire cxauiir.od. approved. aiidded. piis-ed. and paid. Tin n follows ' uuisi minu!e discript i n of t!ie s\stcm ndoj i,'d froii't (he line a claim is made imtil its pa.wee,;. Slc-p hy step the or.-cess of check in.?', examinat ion. aii'd audit s Is. j-rai ih. ti lb.' Commisi nei '-. t litis express themselves oil

the mi! 11 er 11 is .Ma-relon* .laparcnl I iail, iat~ 111■!' lh.' s\slfai a!:o\c (lesia'iluil. ao ria jiie can In* c-.'iint or paid anl.ss i'. is sap.piaatd li\- a \ oucher; ibal ao -iiiulv-r'ny ran i yivi d |m ! hj- i'iink lo pay il iad.-s.; l lie niiaiI >-'t' <;1 ihe rhe; i! s dale, lis e.aio ; inl. and 1 lie laiadirr aialaiaomif oi' I lie voia har are inehah d 1 ia Ihe (Vuds Ad\ice and in t!a- 'l'rrasarN !.ed'i:;er. and also in trie sHie.hj I. • e.i' iia\iai-nts alliiclad to ils> i e.pi isi lion aad retain' >1 fn Hi • .\ 11 di f. 'pari hn n( ; thai no vouch.a- r::a 1;. S»a»-«d hy ihe Aadil Iu paad taent aa i ,-s i! is .certified li.\ the cei'i ii';. iia l ; oi'scec, ar r d appMiN'ed l»y ilic apin - u\- ; n oI• c.■ r ; and i hai iial<-p-'ad- a! I'er; rds of -eai'h \ oik lii r. showia.i' (he dale <>i i ! s I'rct i|»J. the pari icnlai's ai mS'\ ic.'. 1 lit- name aad ad-iivss of Ihe c.a i ina nI, I I'.a n n-<>u n I nf ! ii.- rlai id, ih.- aaa,aal appri.x. d for pa,,\ laeal. da* da'" ol' appi'ova!. aad t';e '.ofe ; lid ! ("a 1 II 1 ' 1 lh' \ oir t ; aili:-' \-

I In 1 {amount is charged, are kepi, i•>' h in thej . I>eparim<ul «isi v. huh 11 i > charge is made aiwl in lhI'; ea:air\ . A i,<i it is imperi ant | o iiil ice lh.il each claque is absolute!;, idem if!*•;i wi { h i (iv!a Ii ve voucher ly >h;> li'iM lik ii ' 11. i • numb.!' of the < nr. as v. -II as i' s amount. i 1 .• I • .•! into rile ;• t*i iII i I !.r!KV ;il ill.' foot Hi' ;' vinu iif• i• before 1 lievouchii' or !h.' chcijiie is forwarded from I lie I 'rea sii ry. We arc satisfnd lhal !h is s\stem is sU'irl ly carried old, i.iil 1) in Ihe Treasury and in Ihe o! i».'i a finical s. am! thai no voucher can pass I li! - oiic.'!) these I)e----i>a rt nuul s: without a record heinj; I'ouad in the IK*i>;teliiu-nt for which the service was perform. it and in tiic Treasury book:-.. and ihai no i li.'ipi.' can he pa itl by Ihe •lunik which cannot. without dilliculty, be idrnlii'u-d withils part icular voucher. 'I he second and third questions reb rr< A (o us under the Commission th.T in l hi l ears a \ niichiT was issued in favour oi Captaii» Sodden, for payment to him af ; j .'.church, out of the IMdilic Ac~ co'iui, of a sum of between ,C7o,aird (jsn for any other sum) for the reorganization of I'efence ;or any other ser\ ice ; ami did Taplni>; S.ddon ever claim, or receive an\ such payment. or any snch \'oiicher ? The alleged voucher is staled by ihoM-' who Claim to hn.ve seen it to have lie. n se, n at the Chrislchuivh I'osJ-ollfce al some period prior to the '.Mli of [tecenilier. 1!)H-1. and siibMV|iicnl to the month of November. I'.'"''. and to have hr-'ii for a sum of between L7f> and TSII. for thereor.u'ani/a! i< n of lViVne<- Stores at—i.c'ot din-.' .fo Messrs Uiliis an I l.areom be Wellington. In h:i\e b<'Ti in form, appearance, and requisites a j-'.eilliiiii' voucher. result ini; in an nr--lua I pay m.-ui . We shall refer pres.'idly to Ihe evidence of t h.-se -wit uesses. i I has been provt \\ (hat ! h.-re is : n• 1 i niry ».<: an\ such claim or wucher in ihe books of Ihe 1 >epa rt nieni s. r !'h- se hooks have been examined in a careful and s\ si eiua lic manner by compel cut persons, who have lem examin. d aiid cross-examined 'nefore ns. iind their evidence lias cstahiish- <'' Ih- la't I hat u o such entry exist s. Th" Register of Claims kepi in! the i ! p'".-nce 1 lejiarl m< ni . ai d 1 lie l-'xpendi-I u re- i x )oi<. also kepi in ihe I'cparlluei 11 . a n:! t lid i {e;j; jsl <*!' of Abslrads kejii in 'tlie Treasury have 'been available for Mr Willis's inspeclion. and we are salisCud I hat a fnll opportunely hits In en .u;iv..n to him 'o a:-' ei-i ain for himself uIH her or not '•i.l.«'h a ''lainror voucher has been recorded.

A)l ].n\nn'iils mad.- to ('ajjlain Sod don old of lhe Public Account durii'i;- ihe [leriod in question have also been e:-:amifii'd. and I Id* vouchers mi; >porl suidi payments produci-d, and iuspeclcd l.y X\y Willis and Mr I'T-her. and luive been put in eviin t his inquiry ; and none of Hie:,- pa'-'ininls or Vouchers are for anv S"i'\'iCi• n r "amount such as .Mr Willis, -Mr I.arcoiube. and Mr West allege I li. -y saw .staled ill 1 'lie voucher referred l o by t hem. nor for any M-iv meni made iu ('liri>ichurch. nor result ini; in an\' chi i|U<- coun'ersiyueri b\ an;. I'hris! church ollicial. d'imi imii d on Paj;e 1.)