N.Z. ARMY CAR SALES

Grey River Argus, 13 September 1944, Page 4

N.Z. ARMY CAR SALES

Officers Get Priority WERE PRICES TOO LOW? P.A. WELLINGTON Sept. 12 To tihe end of May, 4,822 secondhand Army vehicles had, been disposed of for £1,385,252, states the Auditor General’s report' presented to Parliament to-day. The commission paid was £102,156. The report states it was of the greatest importance that when a very large number of vehicles was to be- disposed of a basic valuation should be laid down, and that otfic?.<ls acting as disposal officers should have clear authority to act. These desirable conditions however, were not always complied with Referring to sales made at a very large disposal centre the report states that eleven cars were disposed of to Army personnel under conditions which amounted to priority, the cars not; having been offered previously tor sale to the public. The Audit Office was able’ to obtain valuations from two motor firms in respect of six of these eleven cars, and these valuations were from £6O to £l5O in -excess of the prices paid by the officers concerned. There was also clear evidence that a truck purchased by an Army officer was immediately resold through a dealer, at a profit of £lOO. The officers concerned admitted that they purchased in good faith, and at prices fixed, independently, by persons whom they had reason to believe were acting with full and proper authority