GRAVE CHARGE OF FRAUD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1920, Page 4

GRAVE CHARGE OF FRAUD.

DUMMY WORK IN STEAMERS. AUSTRALIA'S STATE SHIPS. By Telegraph.—Press Asan.—Copytlgbt. Received Nov. 17, 10.20 p.m. Sydney, Nov. 17. (living evidence before the Federal Public Works Committee, which is inquiring regarding the building of Commonwealth ships, Mr. Wallin, shipping manager for Messrs. Burns, Philps, and Co.. stated that his firm negotiated for (lie purchase of two wooden ships being) build for the Government by Messrs. Kidman and Mayoh, but owing to "hogging" in one of the vessels, and in view of certain statements in his firm's possession, they refused to take the vessels, and declined to pay for the work done.

A declaration of master mariner employed by Messrs. Burns, Philps stated that in one of the vessels he inspected there were thousands of dummy fastenings put in to represent clinched up fastenings, and during the construction of the keel, whenever an auger broke the broken piece had been left in and the dummy fastening put down on top. Several other statements to the same effect wore made by the employees of Messrs. Kidman and Mayoh engaged in building the two vessels, the chairman of the committee characterising them as grave charges of fraud, as dummy fastenings would cause "hogging."—Aus.NT.Z. Cubic Assn.