Local businesses miss out on $$$$s

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www.spec.com.au
MONDAY, JULY 22, 2013
Rec. Retail $1.30 inc GST
Police fear man
was killed
TIANA RICHARDSON
IN a dramatic unveiling of events, homicide
squad detectives now believe a Mt Gambier
man was abducted and possibly killed after an
incident at Nelson on Wednesday.
Detectives are investigating the suspicious
disappearance of 34-year-old Gordon Tearonui
Hamm after people camped near the Glenelg River
bridge at Nelson reported seeing an altercation on
the bridge, at the intersection of Portland-Nelson
Rd and Leake St in Nelson, and hearing a possible
gun shot at about 4am.
Investigators have grave concerns for the welfare
of Mr Hamm who was last seen on the bridge.
Police on Wednesday found a small amount of
blood and other evidence including a pair of ugg
boots under the bridge.
Police believe Mr Hamm was the passenger
in a silver Toyota Corolla sedan bearing South
Australian registration plates.
The vehicle was being driven by a woman from
Mt Gambier and was stopped by two vehicles on
the bridge.
One vehicle drove in front of the Toyota and
a second vehicle parked behind, effectively
blocking the path of the Toyota.
These vehicles are described as a white or light
coloured four wheel drive and a dark coloured
four wheel drive.
It is believed two men, armed with firearms, got
GORDON Tearonui Hamm is missing,
believed abducted and possibly killed after
an incident at Nelson in the early hours of last
Picture: SUPPLIED
Wednesday.
out of the vehicles and approached the Toyota,
removing Mr Hamm by force.
The woman driving the Toyota was told to drive
away, and she fled the scene.
Police have spoken to this woman and she is
assisting police with enquiries.
When last seen, Mr Hamm was wearing a
black jumper, grey knee length shorts and beige
coloured ugg boots.
Anyone with information relating to the
disappearance of Mr Hamm is asked to contact
Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.
crimestoppers.com.au
Local businesses
miss out on $$$$s
Council under attack again for
taking business elsewhere
HUW CUSHING
BUSINESSES across the shire
have been losing thousands of
dollars a month after Glenelg
Shire
Council
awarded
contracts to a Melbourne
based company through a
third party.
I CAN jump puddles! Perhaps not, but Eloise Nash, 3, enjoys jumping in them after finding
that Fawthrop Lagoon had broken its banks and was spreading across the pathway on
Picture: JOSH NASH 130721jn04
Sunday morning. More on the weekend’s weather: PAGE 3
District forecast
Mal’s Tyre Centre in Heywood
has serviced council vehicles
for 10 years, but has come
under increasing pressure to
meet terms and conditions of an
agreement between the council
and Procurement Australia,
which negotiates contracts for
Today: a few showers, top of 12.
local government.
Tyre centre owner Shane
Barclay said the council had
been his biggest customer, but
Procurement Australia had
taken that business away from
him, preferring instead to use
Melbourne suppliers in the past
year.
“(The tyres) get delivered here
and I just get paid to fit them.
Through this contract they’re
even dictating the fitting price
and what-not,” Mr Barclay said.
He said he was being asked to
fit the tyres for only 20 per cent
of retail price.
“That’s what I’ve got to abide
by, to do the work and they’re
ridiculous prices, it’s absolute
crap.
“Some months you’d be doing
$10,000 with them (the council)
but now you’d be lucky to get
$200.”
Owner of Western District
Tyres in Casterton, Lee Condon,
who has serviced the council’s
vehicles for 15 years, said
dealing
with
Procurement
Australia had become more and
more frustrating over the past
year.
Continued; PAGE 2
Tomorrow: a few early showers, 7–13.
Details: PAGE 4