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The Chairman. And you have nothing between this and the rough summary?
A.-No.
Mr. Humphreys.-Inspectors are allowed to get certain things direct from contractors?
A.-No, I dont think so.
Q.-Yes, they are, It has been given in evidence.
A.-The procedure is for the Inspector to indent on the Secretary for any article that he requires, and that indent is countersigned by the Medical Officer of Health and until it is so countersigned, the Secretary does not issue it.
Q-But I think you misunderstood me. I did not mean to say the Inspector did not have a proper requisition. What I meant was that the Inspector obtained direct from the contractor, instead of through the Depôt?
A. That is so.
Q.-Do such goods obtained direct from contractors, pass through those books? If so, how do they pass through those books, if they have never been sent to the Department?
A. I think they are all entered. Even if they are entered, then they can't agree with those books, because there are certain articles kept by the store man himself, small articles that are always required, and these are issued direct.
Q.-But I understood you to say that this book agreed with those books ?
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A-These books are books that are kept at the Central Disinfecting Station. This book is one that is kept at the Secretary's Office. In addition to these, there are certain articles constantly in use,-broons and that sort of thing,-which are kept by the store man on the premises, and these are issued by requisition from the Inspector.
Q. And they would not go through the books at all, would they?
A.--I think they would, bit I cannot definitely say.
The Chairman.-Dont you think that on general principles, it would be much better that all stores should be drawn direct by the Department and that they should go into the store, and it should not be possible for an Inspector to go direct to a shop and get stores ? I am not imputing any improper motives to the Inspectors.
A.-It might be, but this is a matter of convenience.
Q.—But it might result in abuses or mistakes?
A. Yes. It evidently satisfies the Government.
Mr. Shelton Hooper.-In the past?
A. Yes.
Mr. Humphreys. Those books, Dr. Atkinson, were twice asked for before, by the Commission, and were not produced. Had they been produced earlier, it would have saved a lot of questions being asked the Secretary, and it would possibly have altered part of the Report of the Commission on the books and accounts.
The Chairman.-It has already been written, and it has to be considered this afternoon.
Mr. Humphreys.-If that Report is not altered, and any incorrect statements go in,. this must be borne in mind.
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