NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8101, 22 March 1906, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENTS.

IMPERIAL MONJSY. CHARGES BY MR JELLICOE. Mr E. G- Jellicoe, since his return to England, has brought some serious charges apainst the New Zealand Government with reference to alleged illegal dealings with the sum of £2,000,000 of Imjerial money which was sent to Now Zealand ou account of expenditure in respect of New Zealand contingents for the South African War. Mr Jellicoe lodged formal complaints at both the War Office and the Colonial Office, and is pressing for an investigation. The following is the explanation of the Premier (Mr Seddon) as telegraphed to the Now Zealand Herald, of the charges made by Mr Jellicoe: "There is nothing in Mr Jellicoe's statement. It is only a rehash of what was stated by somo Opposition members prior to the last elections. In Mr Jellicoe's cross-examination at the inquiry when fcbe voucher incident was beforo the judges, he sought ro lead evidence on the question. The facts iu respect to the auditing of Imperial moneys sent for war purposes are as follows: — In New Zealand we have a preaudit system, and for a time we endoavoured to have the vouchers audited under that system. A deadlock rapidly took place, for the Audit Office required information relating to the accounts of those who were in Mie righting line. The want of this information blocked the necessary payments, one dovetailing in with the other. The Imperial Government and the Cpnti oiler and Auditor-General were consulted on the situation, and it waa ultimately agreed to waive the Audit Office audit, conditionally ou there being a careful aepartmeutal audit as the expenditure took place, and it was known and understood that there would be thereafter the usual Imperial post-audit. This searching Imperial audit has taken place and a satisfactory adjustment has been made, and the small margin in favour of the New Zealand Government is proof of the great care exercised in this and in other ways. The wisdom of the course taken has been amply demonstrated. The New Zealand Government were from time to time adversely criticised owing to delays taking place in respect to the pay of returned contingenters. Thelmperial Government appointed their own paymaster here, and vouchers for every shilling had to be passed by that officer and sent on to the War* Office, and the aearohing and careful audit of the aooounts finally answers any attack made by defeated candidates. Perhaps the very unfair attack made may have had something to do with the defeat of Mr Jellicoe. The statement that two millions of lmoerial money for expenditure in con neotion with the South African War was not audited, is untrue." Writing under date, February 9th, a London correspondent says:—Mr Jellicoe alleges that whereas that remittance of £2,000,000 was made strictly eubjeot to "control" or proandit on the part of the New Zealand Controller-General, who is wholly independent of Goverament influence or constraint, Mr Seddon persistently urged the Home Govern ment with this precaution against improper disbursement, sending oable message after cable message to the Agent-General, until at last the Imperial authorities were "bluffed" and worried into dispensing with the check that the Controller-Genreal could exeroise against improper appropriation of the lmperal funds, and into mere reliance npon a subsequent audit in this oountry, which, of course, would be virtually impotent to detect misappropriation or to enforce restitution should such be detected. Mr Jellicoe brings it as a serious obarge against Mr Chamberlain that he oonsented to this course, and calls upon the present Liberal heads of the Colonial Office and War Office to probe the matter thoroughly to the bottom.