THE KIDMAN CASE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6497, 25 September 1915, Page 3

THE KIDMAN CASE.

"Rec. Sept. 23 10.15 p.m. j Sydney Sept. 23 In the Kidman case, Colonel Wallace, commandant of the New South Wales forces, in the coursa of length evidence legardiDg military con tractp, said Major Page's military career was without fault and he knew him to be an honourable and straight forward man. Kidman'* application1 for increases in contract prices \va9 not a solitary one. He personally dealt ( with two.casp.s. If he saw an injustice done, he would have granted the increases, as he wanted to give everybody a fair deal. Kec. Sept. 2410 pm. Sydney, Sept. 24» la the Kidman case the director of the Commonwealth equipment department, who investigated the papers in connection with, the disputed contracts, said be iound that increases had been granted in regard to a number of contracts. He did not know that such a practice existed without the sanction of the Ministry of Defence. A number of contracts had been varied by the commandant or at the direction of the commandant. Council for Kidman said ha propose! to submit prices which he agreed should be paid for the goods. Council for the Crown replied that no price had been agreed upon, the allegation being that Kidman was allowed to charge what he liked and it was from this charge that conspiracy arose.