CONTRACTOR ON TRIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15951, 23 June 1915, Page 8

CONTRACTOR ON TRIAL.

ALLEGED FORGED TENDER.

"MEAT FOR PRISONERS' CAMP.

fc • AUSTRALIAN PROSECUTION. (Received Juno 22, 9.15 p.m.) •°v f T ",/•' lul'f.. Sydney, June 22. The trial' of Arthur Kidman, contractor, on a charge of forging a '■*• tender in the name of 0. Brown '" for the supply of goods to the military authorities with the intention ' of having the document accepted as "genuine, commenced to-day in the High Court. Tenders were called for supplies of ~ meat and groceries for a German concentration camp. _ The case for ' the Crown was that Kidman submitted several tenders, alleged to bo in the same handwriting, including that signed by Brown, and two in the name of his own firm. Though the prices for the supply of x •■meat ' quoted in the tender in the '""• name of Brown were lower, the ten- '' dor of Kidman's firm was accepted after the Tender Board had made . inquiries. ; The Crown claimed that ; some of the tendering firms were non-existent. The Chief Justice asked how the • Commonwealth was likely to be pre- ■ judiced by the alleged action of ' I '., Kidman. ,\.

Counsel for the Crown said that the Crown in considering tenders 'was entitled to have genuine tenders '*■"'.. from genuine people before it. If i not it was like false bids at an auction and would deceive somebody ultimately purchasing. ..', * .Counsel for the accused stated •IV; that Kidman admitted that he had put in the tenders. He thought he had the right to do so. » ~ Paymaster Dewitt, a member of -the Tender Board, giving evidence ■ 'said ' that the board had examined :i t Kidman in regard to tha tenders, and had accepted his meat tender ~Sj after this examination. Kidman was t• in the habit of contracting for military 'supplies. ' His work was always '% satisfactory., , Major Page, senior member of the p • -Tender Board, deposed that Kidman ; .admitted i to him that he, had sent ... .tenders in the same handwriting. He ■ui added that he had done so foolishly and was sorry. - -Mr. E. F. Tait, a member of the $ : tight Horse, formerly employed in hi .looking'/ after Kidman's interests at • •^(;^ 6 various camps, in evidence said • & 1 that Kidman had said that he would ; s . *" } like to use his name in connection p .\. ....with some tenders. Witness agreed ~~''iand: ; . signed certain papers,' but ,he . .. did not know that a tender, which /', was produced, had been submitted fe: m his name.; He had no interest Is - in the tenders in his own name or -': otherwise.. He expected that Kid- 1 "i nan would carry out the contracts < f ---of-the tenders accepted. 'He never « expected that he ;would have to «i-carry them out himself. Kidman ■'X'told him to tell the Court every.thing he knew. <> -V- *# ■-. ■Charles Brown, : a' carcase butcher, ': M < said he just knew Kidman by passing I . ..the, time of the day. with him. He f never submitted a tender or gave anybody authority to do so.