DOMINION NEWS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, 26 October 1916, Page 7

DOMINION NEWS

ALLEGED BREACH OF CONTRACT

(BT TELEGKAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. Mr Reid, S.M!, is to-day hearing a charge against the Scpullar Company, Ltd., of breach of the war regulations, in allegedly supplying flax mattresses and pillows of N a quality not in accord with the terms of the contract. The case for the Crown .alleged that the average weight of ; a number of mattresses supplied. was* M£ lbs, •when it; should have been 181bs; further that many were filled with sour-flax rope ends and dust sweepings off o the floor, rendering them unlit and unsanitary for use by troops. The saving effected by supplying light weight mattresses would be from 4£d to sixpence each. Mr Weston, for the. defence, said it was admitted that owing ko circumstances for which the inaiiageinent was not responsible, ■ some :^ of the mattresses weie light^.lw.e.ightj but the1* Crown had to prove' tH&t this was done wilfully. The case is proceeding. Mr Macassey, for the' Qrown, said there could be. ho suggestion that the directors of Scoullar and C 0.,, who are leading men in the town, had any knowledge or suspicion that the, contract was not being strictly performed.