NOT DECLARED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 192, 27 May 1938, Page 6

NOT DECLARED

RIFLE THROUGH THE CUSTOMS. 9 OWNER FACES TWO CHARGES. OTHER CASES HEARD TO-DAY. A rifle that was brought from Australia by Enrico Pasquali, a naturalised Italian, about a year ago, and which was not declared to the Customs officers or found by them when the passenger’s baggage was beiiig examined on the wharf, was the exhibit in a case heard before Air 11. Morgan, S.M., m the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court today, when a fairly long list of cases was set down. Pasquafi was charged with having boon in possession of an unregistered firearm, and with having failed to register a rifle. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant .T. P. Cleary stated that defendant was horn in Italy, hut had been naturalised in Australia, where he had lived for some time before coming to New Zealand a year ago. The rifle was in a case that formed part of defendant’s luggage, and it was not declared at the Customs, nor was it found when the luggage was searched. A° application fifr registration of the weapon had been made by defendant after landing in this country. Recently, defendant learned that registration was necessary, and lie had gone to the police and frankly stated the circumstances and his ignorance of the law. He was . very anxious to retain the rifle, which was a good one. The Alagistrate: Was the luggage searched in the usual way? Sergeant Cleary: I understand it was. The ropes on the case were cut, and the boards removed had nailed hack properly. The Alagistrate: Wnat have you to say, Pasquali? Defendant: Nothing, siV. The case was in the Customs place, and my son went and got it for me after. It had been opened. . And was nothing said about the rifle ?

No, not a thing. The Magistrate (to Sergeant Cleary): Dicl the Customs people make any notification to the police that the rifle had been brought in ? Sergeant Cleary: Not in this ease,

And do they generally notify you of such cases? Sergeant Cleary: Yes, sir, they do. The Alagistrate : Well, it seems that in this instance the search failed to ieveal the rifle ? Sergeant Cleary: That is so, sir. Defendant was fined 10s, with 10s costs on each charge, and an order was made confiscating the rifle. Motorists’ Offences. William Hyde was charged with driving a motor-car without a warrant of fitness, tail-light, or two front headlights. Defendant was fined £1 10s for having no warrant of fitness, £1 foi no tail-light, and a similar amount for no head-lights. # . S. W. Hicks was charged with driving a car at Tinwakl at over 30 miles an hour. The fine was £2 10s, with 10s costs. David James Scarf, charged with driving a. motor vehicle in excess of the speed limit, was fined £2 10s, with 10s costs. W. M. Til son was charged with parking so close to a corner as to cause an obstruction. Ho was fined I.os and costs. H. Whiting, charged with leaving a motor-car parked in excess of the time limit, was fined 12s 6d with costs. Peter Doig was charged with having parked a motor-car in West Street in , excess of the time limit, and he was fined 10s with 12s costs. S. G. Lemon, similarly charged, was fined 10s, with 12s costs.

Excessive Speed. G. G. Lowe was charged with having ridden a motor-cycle at over 30 miles an hour at Tinwald. He pleaded guilty and was fined £2, with 12s costs. Liquor Raid Sequel. Timothy O'Connor was charged with being found on premises where liquor was seized. He was fined £1 and costs Breach of an Award. S. Madden was charged with failing to pay award rates to a casual employee and with not keeping a wages and time book in respect of one casual employee. Defendant stated that an assistant kept the time and record book, and that he, working in the bakery away from the shop, was not aware of the breach of the award. He stated that the employee had been out of work and had approached his wife for a position. Hie position had been given without defendant’s knowledge and a month or two had passed before lie realised that the employee was on the staff. It was purely a mistake on his wife’s part, said defendant, and as he paid wages amounting to £34 a week it was not likely that he would quibble over a few shillings a week. Defendant was fined £1 for failing to pay the award rotes and £2 IQs on the second charge. 12s. Civil Business. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the ease of Tuckers, Ltd. (Mr V. \Y. Russell) v. M. Kennedy, £3 9s Id, with IT 3s 6d costs. Maintenance Ca^es. John Ernest Dobbin applied for a variation of on order lor the maintenance of his children. It was stated that plaintiff was on sustenance and the arrears amounted to over £lO. An order was made remitting £3 15s of the arrears and making a nowpnyment of 12s a week. Decision in regard to the remainder of the arrears was held over for one month. Harrv MacPherson was charged with

being £63 9s in arrears of payments under a maintenance order. Payment, it was stated was fixed in 1936,' when arrears were remitted. Defendant had been imprisoned for nonpayment of arrears. Defendant was sentenced to three months in gaol.