FRAUD ALLEGED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 271, 15 November 1943, Page 4

FRAUD ALLEGED

QUALITY OF TIMBER

FIVE MEN PROSECUTED

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Charged with intent to defraud by attempting to obtain from the United States Joint Purchasing Board sums of money by falsely representing that the grade or quality of certain timber supplied was higher than the timber actually supplied, five executive members of timber companies appeared before Mr. E. C. Levvev, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court this" morning. The men charged and the amounts involved were: Wilfred Henry Banks (Papanui Timber Company), £280; John Cvril Southern Bush (C. E." Otley, Limited), £16; William Joseph Loader (Western Timber Company). £26; Harold Candish Smart (W. W. Keighley and Company). £18. and Harry Thomas Stubberfield (Riccarton Timber Company), £10. Charles Edward Trippner, one of the defendants, failed to appear and the charge against him was stood down.

Mr. A. W. Brown, with him Mr. T. A. Gresson, prosecuted. Mr. G. G. Lockwood appeared for Banks and Mr. C. S. Thomas for the other defendants. Mr.- Thomas suggested that the cases, with the exception of that against Banks, an indictable one, be adjourned sine die. Pleas of not guilty were entered by Bush, Loader, Smart and Stubberfield, the charges being adjourned sine die.

Reginald Henry Murray, Conservator of Forests in Canterbury, said that in January he received orders for timber from the Timber Controller. Copies of the orders had been forwarded to the secretary of the North Canterbury Timber Merchants' Association. The timber was to be supplied in grades specified by the controller, and was ultimately destined for a naval hospital in the Pacific. Murray said that he later inspected the timber. As a result witness communicated with the Timber Controller and, acting on instructions, had ordered that the timber be held and regraded. Witness noticed a small quantity of timber that appeared to be much below grade. Banks had been notified that his timber was rejected and had better be replaced. It was a very small quantity. It was not a case of grading but of broken timber. (Proceeding.)