THE AUDIT OFFICE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3887, 15 August 1891, Page 3

THE AUDIT OFFICE.

Charges Against the AuditorGeaeral-

The Manawatu Road Board cv. bringing their grievances against the Auditor-General in reference to tbe audit about the alleged misapplication of part of their special loan of 1887 under the notice of the House by petition. After setting out the circumstances, they assert:—"Your petitioners are prepared to prove that the enquiry—or audit, as it is called—held by the Auditor-General was a scandal, and an insult to your petitioners, ana a disgrace to the country; that the Au<litor-General refused to look at the books—said that he knew their contents, that he was aware that the money had been wrongly used, and should be refanded out ot the general rates ; that from the commencement of enquiry he insulted and browbeat your petitioners' chairman, and turned the enquiry into something approaching a bear gnrden r refused to allow your peti* tioners to examine a single witness or to allow your petitioners' chairman to speak until the defaulting members of the old Board had concluded everything they had to say, and directly the chairman applied for an adjournment in order to produce a material witnes3, the Auditor-General turned upon him in a domineering manner, and refused to grant the adjournment, giving his reasons which tbe petition states in detail. Tbe Board submit that the Auditor-General was directly interested in burking the special audit directed by the Governer, as «• he would have had to report that his previous audits were, in fact, shams, and BO would have condemnet himself and the Audit Office as i sorry farce, and in shielding you petitioners' former Board he upheli all his previous actions and conduct.' On these grounds the Board pray io tbe appointment of a Commissioner t enquire into the whole matter.