Sale papers stolen

Press, 25 January 1989, Page 1

Sale papers stolen

PA Wellington Bids for the Shipping Corporation will not be recalled despite confidential sale documents being stolen from an adviser to the Treasury. A spokeswoman for the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises, Mr Rodger, has confirmed that a bag containing documents of a commercial nature relating to the Shipping Corporation was stolen. Bidders for the corporation were informed of the theft, which' occurred late last year, and the police were called to investigate, she said. The loss is the second time confidential Government business

papers have gone missing in the last year. In March confidential aviation briefing papers were left on a Qantas flight to Australia. The Minister of Transport, Mr Jeffries, agreed to an out-of-court settlement when an Australian newspaper incorrectly reported he had left the papers on the aircraft. New Zealand officials were found to have been responsible.

After the latest incident, Mr Rodger did not recall the bids for the corporation and his spokeswoman said there was still no intention to do so.

“The theft is not considered prejudicial to completion of sale of the corporation,” she said.