WAR VEHICLES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 269, 26 August 1946, Page 4

WAR VEHICLES

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY ASPERSIONS ALLEGEDLY CAST (P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Before calling evidence from William Percy Warner, part-time valuer of motor vehicles for the War Vehicles Board, Mr R.. E. Harding expressed the opinion that some who had spoken at the Commission had gone outside the scope of the inquiry for the sole purpose of casting aspersions at his client, who had never been an officer of the Board.

In evidence, Warner said that in experience with motor vehicles over many years he and others had evolved a standard formula for valuation. The method was to take the chassis and cab selling price in the year of sale, the standard size or otherwise of tyres, and add the value of the body. This established the gross price. Army mechanics and drivers were then retiuired to put vehicles through their paces. Valuers, then giving the trucks a total life of 100,000 miles, deducted pne per cent, for every 1000 miles they had travelled, and a further £SO in a case where the vehicles had been to the Pacific Islands. That method had proved so satisfactory that buyers subsequently purchased ex-army vehicles at “sight unseen” for some junk at camp Bann, Auckland. C. R. Vincent had offered £2OO, but the USJPB would have dumped the stuff if it had not been sold. Witness informed the general manager of the board, and the offer was accepted. Vincent had sold a tractor and other parts out of the pile for £365, and had paid witness £55 commission for introducing the buyer and for his help in arranging disposal. Vincent then had to clear heavy residual junk within 48 hours. Witness first saw the vehicles at Seaview Park last December. The following month, Levick, the motor vehicles officer of the Board, asked him to Help him make up a rough schedule of junk parts there, and of the frames. Levick told witness that tenders were to be called for the vehicles and scrap. In the previous October Archibald had told witness that he and Raymond -Eder were trying to purchase from the Americans direct. Archibald told him he would be prepared to put £20,000 into each syndicate. Witness had told Archibald that if a syndicate got the lot for £IOO,OOO it would be a good buy. That was a rough estimate only.

Big Sum in Commission

Witness said that when Archibald successfully tendered for Dodges and jeeps witness told Levick he would be engaged in selling for Archibald for about three weeks, and Levick did not object. He left his address to enable his recall if the board needed him for urgent work. He v r as under no obligation. to the board preventing bis undertaking such work for Archibald. His engagement with the board was by the day at £3 3s. Witness was then provided by Archibald with a petrol licence to get about the country among dealers. In five days he contracted to sell 231 Dodges and jeeps. The prices, for jeeps was £BO for the best and £4O for poor ones. The Dodges were contracted for at an average of £lB5. After a few days Archibald said by phone that he had reason to believe he had overbid. Witness told Archibald how well sales were going, and the latter dropped the contract. Warner had made a fool of him throughout the North Island. At 2 per cent commission he had earned thousands of pounds, and there was £3OOO to £4OOO in sight. Mr Harding: “So I take it you were pretty sore with Archibald?” —“I was sore both ways. If you’ve driven 200 miles in a jeep you’ll know what I mean.”

Witness said he had thereupon informed the board that he was again available for valuing duties. His only activities on Archibald’s behalf had been over a few days after March 20. Witness did not know that after Archibald repudiated his first tender he had tendered a second time on April 23. Warner was recalled to assist with the valuation oi; the Dodges and jeeps. He had expected to receive instructions to go ahead and value, but none was received. Interviewed in May by the police, witness had denied that he had inside information. about the disposal of vehicles or had given Archibald any'such information. He had told the police that in getting around among dealers he had discussed tenders. He had known of no instance of bribery or graft in the board’s dealings.