The Press Monday, April 17, 1978. Last Chapter In... (Press, 17 April 1978)

The news article published on 17 April 1978 discusses the final developments in what has been termed the "Moyle Affair," centring around Sir Alfred North's inquiry into the conduct of police regarding a confidential file related to Colin Moyle, at the time the Minister of Agriculture. Sir Alfred North expressed discontent over perceived challenges to his competency in managing this inquiry, which aimed to examine the circumstances surrounding gossip about an incident involving Moyle and a police constable. The press published excerpts from Sir Alfred’s findings to allow readers to independently assess the adequacy of the inquiry. Although the specific conclusions from the inquiry were not reprinted, it was suggested that any reasonable reader would find the conclusions closely tied to the questions posed to Sir Alfred. The inquiry was primarily concerned with the police's handling of the confidential file, the access to it by politicians, and discrepancies between Moyle's statements and the information recorded in the file. The article highlights that very early after the incident, information began circulating, supposedly originating from police circles. However, Sir Alfred concluded that only senior officers had access to the file's contents. He did not find sufficient evidence linking the proliferation of gossip directly back to the file. Instead, many rumours appeared disconnected from the file itself. There were questions raised as to why Sir Alfred did not further investigate potential connections to politically sensitive figures, such as Mr Muldoon, the Leader of the Opposition at the time, who had been implicated in the gossip. Critics questioned whether pursuing such leads would have yielded valuable insights, especially given the passage of time since the incident. Sir Alfred opted to focus strictly on the terms of reference given to him, which many believe was a prudent course of action. The article also notes that Mr Moyle's actions to provoke the release of the report were seen as ill-advised, especially after he had managed to secure a new candidacy in Parliament. In the context of the affair, it was noted that Moyle was not found to have engaged in any criminal activity, and no charges were filed against him, thereby clearing his name. The speculation surrounding the implications of the incident lingered, despite the inquiry's findings not substantiating any accusations regarding Moyle's private life. Ultimately, the publication of the report served to address questions about Sir Alfred’s competence and the legitimacy of the inquiry's focus, aiming to clarify the situation and remove some of the political "stench" surrounding the affair. While the article acknowledged that some aspects of the political landscape could benefit from greater discretion, it stressed the importance of maintaining integrity within politics to prevent similar situations from recurring.

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