Mr Williamson’s company is subject to an application by Inland Revenue to put the company into liquidation as it owes a combined $1,106,271.61 in unpaid tax. A hearing to consider the application is set for next Thursday in the High Court at Christchurch.
But it appears extremely unlikely Mr Williamson will appear.
A source told the Otago Daily Times yesterday Mr Williamson had been living in Canada for the past few months, having left New Zealand just before Christmas. Social media accounts show him living in a small town in Alberta with his wife and three children.
The source said Mr Williamson had told workers at his Dunedin factory his wife was living in Canada so he wanted to go over there for a holiday to catch up with her and his three children.
But he never returned and is thought to be living in Canada now.
The source said he had set up an engineering business in Canada, and was putting down roots.
Attempts to contact Mr Williamson yesterday were unsuccessful, an email to his Queenstown business getting a return saying he was out of the office.
The source said staff back in Dunedin and Queenstown, where the firm operates businesses, had been left completely in the dark and thought Mr Williamson was going on a short trip to Canada and would be coming back.
But that did not seem to be happening and Mr Williamson was living in Canada, leaving workers ‘‘p..... off’’ they had been lied to.
The workers were now being told to have company vehicles and equipment back at the business by next Thursday, when the court hearing will take place. Any gear they owned at the work sites was to be taken off the property. They were believed to have been paid until next week but it was unclear what their long-term future held.
Mr Williamson was challenged by staff before he left that he would not come back but denied this, the source said.
Other engineering companies in Dunedin are said to be keen to employ staff from Dart Engineering.
Another source said the Dunedin business in Kaikorai Valley Rd employed 20-30 staff, while the Queenstown business in Frankton Rd, from where Dart Engineering originated, had 10-15 employees.
They were described as being very busy workshops with good managers and overall a good employer.
But the liquidation appears to have come as a shock for the workers and left many emotional about what has happened and about the future.
