UNCUSTOMED GOODS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 11

UNCUSTOMED GOODS.

A SHIP'S OFFICER FTNED. It m i he practice when a deep sea ship eomes into port for the Customs officer to place before each member of lie ship's company a declaration, or "search list," for signature, and on this tkey have to state what parcels, etc,, they have in their possession. If the dutiable goods declared, such as tobacco, clothing and jewellery, are of moderate and reasonable quantity, the officer has discretion to allow them to pass uncustomed. On oceasiou he amy doubt the genuineness of the declaration, and a search follows \v \ order t.n establish the truth of the statement made to him. On the recent arrival of the Morayshire the usual practice was ran-ied ont. and William Hunter Walker, the 'third officer, declared on tht search list halt a- pound of tobacco. A search, however, revealed that he had. openly displayed in his cabin, other dutHhle poods in the shape of 100 cigars. a pound anil a half of tobacco, and a pair of lady'?- boots, of the total value of £P.. At the Police Court yesterday Mr. J. P. Ridines. the Customs officer, prose-r-.iteil Walker for havinc "harboured and kept uncustomed poods" of the amount ami character stated. The accused slated that this was his firM visit to the country, and he was not conversant with the ways of the Cnstoms here. In London it was usual for the Customs officer to go to the officer'' cabins and ask if there was anything that had net been declared, and he made a libera! allowance for cigars, which, it was understood, had to be freely .used by officer? in getting work done. If the officer considered t.hpre was too much he put part of it under seal The cigars cost 5/ a hundred at Las Pa!mas. and were known on the ship as "Stinknrndns'"; he wouldn't smoke them himself. The tobacco cost 4d a n'ug, acd the boot? were for a lady in Wellington who would have paid the dut-r and taken them oS the boat there. Th» whole value of the goods was 24/6. Mr. Ridintrs stated that the valne in the information was the landed value.

Mr. Cut ten. stated that according to the Act be had no option but to impose a fine of £9. treble the value of the goods. Accused stated that he was unable to pay th* amount of the fine, and the Mapisxrate. re-marking that accused's explanation was very probably a true one. exercised the discretion allowed by the Act and reduced the fine to £3.