THE AUDIT COMMISSION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12638, 27 October 1905, Page 5

THE AUDIT COMMISSION.

FISHER AND WILLIS SCORE

POINTS

(Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 2G

In giving evidence to-day before the Audit Commission, Robert Collins, AssistantHSecrefrary to the Treasury, said ho could not conceive the 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 Heywood, secretary to the Treasury, said he was quite satisfied that payments could not be made out of public accounts without a record appearing. All receipts of payments to Captaiin Seddon were signed R. J. S. Seddon, and none were signed R. J. Seddon.

Mr Fisher produced a document which bore three signatures—R. J. S. Seddon — and asked if that did not controvert his statement.

Witness: " I suppose it does." Mr Fisher: " The point I wish to get out is this—Mr Hey wood has stated that no voucher was signed R J. S. Seddon, and I have established the fact that there was a voucher so signed."

Mr Fisher then proceeded to examine the witness concerning the voucher, signed by R. J. S. Seddoii as claimant j %and approved by 11. J. Seddon, Minister of Defence, and signed in quittance " R. J. S. Seddon.''

Mr Willis put to the witness samples of the handwriting of Captain Seddon, saying he wished to show that Captain Seddon wrote so bad a hand and that ilnfs signature was so variable that a witness might almost take a justdfiafble affidavit that it was anything.

(Special to "Chronicle.") WELLINGTON, October 26. In the Supreme Court thn'ngs went with smooth dullness. The main point made was by Ma* Fisher, who has stepped into the place vacated by his counsel. He elicited in his cross-examination of Mr Heywood, of the Treasury, that some of Captain Seddon's vouchers were signed ." R. J. S. Seddon,"-and not invariably " R. J." without the " 5.," as testified on a, former occasion.

Mi* Skerrett remarked what does it matter?"

■" After all,