BOGUS TENDERS

Waikato Times, Volume 84, Issue 13207, 24 June 1915, Page 5

BOGUS TENDERS

KIDMAN FOUND GUILTY.

SENTENCE DEFERRED

Received June 23, 9.50 p.m

SYDNEY, June 23. In the Kidman case, Edward Simes, a carcase butcher, whose name was signed to one of the tenders, said he had authorised Kidman to use his name on the tenders, but the attached signature was not his. He never had anything to do with carrying out the tenders. One contract in his name was carried out by Kidman, witness doing nothing beyond signing it.

Alfred James, a printer, whose name was attached to a tender, said he did not know Kidman, and had not authorised anyone to sign a tender for him.

Kidman, in a lengthy statement, said he had been for 27 years tendering for Government supplies, during which time he had no trouhle. In regard to the disputed tenders, he arrived at the tender office at eleven. Tenders closed at noon. He put in the tenders in his own name, and then after some conversation with gentlemen who had interests in other tenders, he thought his might be too high, and he put in the others in order to have a second chance. That practice, he understood, was common in Australia. In his hurry he used names at Random. In every case the tenders were genuine, and would have been carried out if accepted. He had no intention to injure or defraud the Commonwealth.

The Chief Justice, in summing up, said the case was important, because it concerned contracts for the use of the defence of an Empire whose nation was interested. A person who took advantage of such a state of things to exploit tlie public for his own profit deserved public reprobation if nothing else. It was admitted by the accused that he made a document and uttered it. The question to be considered was whether it was a false document. It was false if it purported to be made on behalf of a person who bad not given authority or a non-existent person. The object in calling tenders was to get genuine offers, obtain fair competition, and avoid favour.

Kidman was found guilty. Sentence was deferred.