THOUSANDS INVOLVED

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12040, 19 January 1925, Page 7

THOUSANDS INVOLVED

BIG GAGE ACAIKST VICKERS gm JOHN SIMON ALLEGES FRAUD BY FIRM. SUPERINTENDENT’S CLAIM, By Telegraph.—Prose Assn. —Copyright. (Sydney “Sun” Cable.) (Received January 18, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 18. The relatives of Mr Keppel North/ ‘who died in . 1919, are suing ’ Messrs Vickers under an agreement by which. North, as superintendent- of the Vickers’ munition works at Crayford, where vast, numbers of Maxim and paravanes were turned out, in war time, was to receive 3$ per centum of Ae factory’s profits besides a modest salary. The factory rapidly expanded-, and eventually covered: 30 acres; employing 12,000 men. The turnover m 1918 reached £4,500,000. Sir John Simon, K.C., representing ’the relatives, declared that the factory made large profits in wartime. Al; though the hooks showed no , profits in 1916 and a small profit in 1917,. Sir John Simon contended- that millions of profit were used to write off capitefespenditure. He alleged that Ae defendants were guilty rif fraud. The persons who prepared ’ the books were not- thinking of North*, but of oAer and bigger thingsApparently - he suggests the evasion of the excess profits duty. The case is unfinished.