TIMBER ORDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25384, 16 November 1943, Page 4

TIMBER ORDERS

SUPPLIES FOR AMERICANS CHARGES OF FRAUD (F A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 15. Charged with intent to defraud by attempting to obtain from the United States Joint Purchasing Board sums of money by falsely representing that the grade or quality of certain timber supplied was higher than that of the timber actually supplied, five executive members of timber companies appeared bevore Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. The men charged and the amounts involved were: Wilfred Henry Banks (Papanui Timber Company), £280: John Cyril Southern Bush (C. E. Otley, Ltd.), £l6; William Joseph Loader. (Western Timber Company), £26; Harold Gandish Smart (W. W. Keighley and Co.), £18; Harry Thomas Stubberfield (Riccarton Timber Company), £lO. Charles Edward Trippner, one of the defendants, failed to appear, and the charge against him was stood down. Mr A. W. Brown, with him Mr T. A. Gresson, prosecuted: Mr G. G. Lockwood appeared for Banks, and Mr C. S. Thomas for the other defendants.

Mr Thomas suggested that the cases, with the exception of that against Banks, an indictable one, be adjourned sine die. Pleas of not guilty were entered by Bush, Loader, Smart, and Stubberfield, the charges being adjourned sine die. Use for Pacific Hospital

Reginald Henry Murray, conservator of forests in Canterbury, said that in January he received orders for timber from the Timber Controller. Copies of the orders had been forwarded to the secretary of the North Canterbury Timber Merchants’ Association. The timber was to be supplied in grades specified by the controller, and was ultimately destined for a naval hospital in the Pacific. Murray said that he later inspected the timber, and as a result communicated with the Timber Controller and, acting on instructions, ordered that the timber be held and regraded. Witness noticed a small quantity of timber that appeared to be much below grade. Banks had been notified that the timber was rejected and had better be replaced. It was a very small quantity, and it was not a case of grading but of broken timber.

Alfred Owen Wilkinson, secretary of the North Canterbury Timber Merchants’ Association, said that a circular which he had sent to association members showed the grades Required for the timber ordered by the controller. Mr Brown: Was there any change at any time in the grades of the timber specified? Witness: No.

Witness was asked by Mr Brown whether he knew that the timber was intended for an American naval hospital in New Caledonia, and he replied that he did not know its destination. All he knew was that it had been ordered for the United States Joint Purchasing Board. When he was shown a copy of his own circular written in January, which indicated that the timber was for the hospital, -witness said he had forgotten that fact, and the circular had refreshed his memory. Station Master’s Evidence

Evidence as to the railing of timber on February 3 by the Papanui and North Canterbury Companies was given by Leo O’Malley, station master at Papanui. It was despatched to Lyttelton, he said, for the United States Joint Purchasing Board. How ha had interviewed the accused on June 3 was related by Detective Sergeant who said that Banks admitted being in charge of the Papanui and North Canterbury Companies. The accused was also aware, said witness, that the order was for the United States Joint Purchasing Board, but, when questioned whether he had supervised the despatch of the order, he declined to reply.

Mr Brown: Did you ask him if he had purchased any second-grade timber? Witness: Yes, but he declined to answer. He did say, however, that he accepted full responsibility for the order that had gone out. continued that later Banks and his brother had accompanied witness and others to the yards and had seen the timber that lv.d been rejected and which J. F. Lysaght, of.the State Forestry Department, claimed had come from Banks’s companies. Banks then agreed with the identification.'

Counsel: Were you present when portion of the matai flooring was pointed out to him?

Witness: Yes, that was at the Butler Timber Company’s yards. Did you notice any nail holes in it? —Yes. The accused said that it had been used for the flooring of a tent and that it had been included in the order by mistake. The hearing was adjourned.