A MILITARY CONTRACT.
'ARGUMENT FOR THE DEFENCE. ' By Telegraph.—Press Association, i Wellington, August 31. The hearing was continued in the Mag* istrate'g Court in which Abraham Levy, clothing manufacturer, was charged otf eight counts with wilful breaches of contracts for the supply of uniforms for the New Zealand Government. Defendant, giving evidence, said he had thirty years' experience of the trade. He went Homo to' England in March, 1014, and returned twelve months later. Up to the time he went to England he had exercised personal supervision of his factory. (During his absence, and sinco his return, his factory had been managed by Harry Levy, his brother-in-law,' and Benjamin Levy, his son. He knew, that the contract of 1816 required linen • thread. * He was present at the meeting of manufacturers with the Board ot. Munitions. So far as the actual contract was concerned the use of cotton a*' against linen thread made no difference. He tendered for the contract, which wa« let to 'him. He had nothing to do with; factory work, but went into the factory.' Sometimes Harry Levy and Ben Levy at-' tended to all work in connection with! the contract. He did not interfere with the work of the factory. The only time ■ he interfered was when the "etplosion". happened. (Laughter). He landed this specifications over to Harry Levy to be followed. He did not remember having specially drawn the latter'* attention to -the fact that linen thread was specified. He had often seen expert advisers in w gard to the contract. When any ques< tion arose he got his information Iromj Harry Levy and Ben Levy. Mr. Myers: Have you 'had your office searched to ascertain if the original of this letter (showing copy) is oa youn. premises! Witness: Yes, I have. Mr. Myers: Have you found any trace of it? Witness: No. Mr. Myers: So far as yon were con-. cerned, was there any reason why you should not have used linen thread? Witness: None whatever. Mr. Myers: Supposing you received « letter of that kind, would you have continued to use cotton? Witness: No, certainly not. The hearing was adjourned till to morrow. THE CASE CONTINUED. Wellington, Yesterday. Abraham Levy, charged with breaches of military contracts, was further, cross-examined regarding a letter from the Minister, which he denied having received. Levy said he told the Minister he would rather have lost £IO,OOO than that the terms of the contract should have been departed from. He certainly led the Minister to infer that he„ (Levy) had been deceived by his managers. In his letter 1 to the Minister he did not put the blame on his managers, because he was upset and did not know what to say. Re-examined Levy said he realised when he- wrote that he was the contractor, and had taken the reoponsii bility. , litr jamin Levy, son of defendant, also one of the factory managers, said hia lather took no active part in the m»n.{igi'.mrnt of the factory. Girls often used what thread best 6uited the machines. He personally did not read the specifications of this contract. The defence called William Ward, a! returned soldier, who produced a uniform which he wore some -months in Egypt, and which never needed repairing. Other evidence showed that Levy's factory was the only one making uniforms at that time. Benjamin Levy, cross-examined, said that cotton thread was used because it was easily adjustable and more convenient, . Witness entirely disagreed with his father's opinion that cotton "thread was used because it was easily '.adjustable arid more convenient Witness had nothing to do with making up the estimates for the contract. DECISION RESERVED. >, Wellington, Last NigM. The hearing of the case was concluded to-day, and the Magistrate reserved his decision, which will probably be given on Monday.
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Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1916, Page 4
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630A MILITARY CONTRACT. Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1916, Page 4
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