ALLEGED FRAUD

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9076, 22 June 1915, Page 6

ALLEGED FRAUD

GOODS FOR AUSTRALIAN FORCES 3y Telegraph —Press AesociMMn —Copyright (Received Juno 21, 6.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 21. Before the Lh Court, Arthur Kidman fcon+Vc. -m, Major F. M. Page (Quart-crma-Tier-' '.m""” 1 of the Military Forces of New South Wales), Major A. G. O’Donnell (Assistant Director of Supply and Transport), . and Sergeant E. Leslie (principal clerk), acting under O’Doiiiiell, Were charged with conspiring between tliemselvcs and others, between October 29th and May Bth last, to defraud the Commonwealth of large sums of money by charging excessively for goods for tho use of the armed forces of Australia. A point was raised that the Act under which the charges were laid only came into operation on May 7th, and the prosecution was depending on a retrospective Act. Page pleaded not guilty. Counsel, on the other charges, asked that the indictments be quashed. The Chief Justice stated that a full bench of the High Court had been summoned for August 2nd to deal with the question of the retrospective powers under the Act, and all the points raised would be reserved till after that sitting. - The trial was adjourned to August 9th.

Kidman was also charged with forging a tender in the name of C. Brown for the supply of goods to-the military, with the intention of having the document accepted as a genuine application.

The quashing of the indictment, on the ground that the Commonwealth had no power to deal with retrospective cases, was refused in this case, the hearing of which has been fixed for to-mor-row.