MILITARY CONTRACTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3562, 23 September 1916, Page 2

MILITARY CONTRACTS

ANOTHER PROSECUTION

WELLINGTON, September 22. A case somewhat similar to.ono already heard/in connection with military contracts was ventilated before Mr L. G. Reid, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day, when H. G. Bedell, clothing manufacturer, was charged that on July 10, 1916, at Wellington, he did wilfully break a contract made by him with the Crown on January 10, 1916, for the purposes of tho present war, to wit, a contract for the supply of garments, by delivering to the Crown in pursuanco of that contract certain goods which wore not in accordance with the terms thereof, contrary to regulation 12 of the War Regulations, dated November 15, 1915, made pursuant to the War Regulations Act, 1914. Mr T. Young appeared for the defendant and Mr P. S K. Maeassey on behalf of the Crown. Mr Young said that defendant would plead guilty to the facts as would be outlined by Mr Maeassey. .: Mr Maeassey said the facts were that Bedell made a contract with the Crown on January 10, 1916, to supply 150 tunic garments per week. Up till July 19 he had supplied 2720 tunics, and it was discovered that he was using cotton and his contract was cancelled. The contract, added Mr Macassoy. was a very small one, and defendant's case was a quite different one in almost every respect from. Levy's case. At the commencement of his contract Bedell used linen thread of the quality specified. Subsequently ho used the very best cotton thread obtainable and he procured it to match the colour. Counsel believed that I although Bedell knowingly broke his contract he was actuated by no desire to make a profit for .himself or to cause loss to the Department. A severe penalty was not asked fo.. Tho Magistrate said that taking all the circumstances into consideration he would be lenient and inflict n fine oi" £10 and costs (7s). .