CUSTOMS DRIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 233, 1 October 1936, Page 8

CUSTOMS DRIVE.

PETTY SMUGGLERS. HELD UP ON WHARF. SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS. CONFESSIONS PREPARED. Since the members of his staff who come under the classification of preventive officers have been making a "drive" against petty smugglers, Mr. J. Mcintosh, Collector of Customs in Auckland, lias had a busy time. Under section 244 of the Customs Act, the Collector of Customs has powers similar to that of a magistrate, in that, if the culprit so chooses, the collector can hear his;plea and assess the penalty. This power is given to the collector, as representative of the Minister of Customs, to "enable. petty, cases to be dealt with summarily, because, if the offender is brought to Court and found guilty, the minimum penalty that a magistrate can impose is £20. Confessions Prepared. Knowing this, most of the officers and seamen —nearly all of the offenders are seafarers —plead guilty and elect to be dealt with by Mr. Mcintosh. So many offenders have Come before him recently, as a. result of the "drive" made by his staff, that. Mr. : Mcintosh lias had the forms' of confession mimeographed for them to fill in. The are: "I, , (occupation), of the s.s.. ; from , do hereby plead guilty to a breach of section 211 of the Customs : Act, 1913, by failing to declare on the search list from ~ the vessel above mentioned such and such articles, and I i request to be dealt with by the Minister of Customs under section 244 of the above-mentioned Act'," Or: "I, , (occupation), of the s.s. — j from , do hereby plead guilty to a j breach of section 207 of the Customs Act, 1913, by smuggling such and such 1 articles from the vessel above men- < tioned, and I request to be dealt with 1 by the Collector of Customs under sec- - tion 245 of the above-mentioiied Act." 1

To-day's Culprits^ Quite a lot of„ these forms have been .filled in this week. All the culprits have been seamen or ships' officers, whom the preventive officers have caught in the act of bringing ashore small quantities of whisky ; and tobacco, or little presents bought for their sweethearts, •wives or children in foreign ports.'.Several such confessions were sighed this morning by,, members of a party of seamea, who came ashore by 'launch one day" , this, week .from their ship, which was .anchored*'in the stream. When tie launch arrived at the landing," three. Customs officers met and searched them, and took possession of several bottles of gin and whisky, a few pairs of silk stockings some cigarettes and cigars, and from the married men a collection of dolls and toys. \ ' Serious Warning Given. Ifo man was bringing ashore very much of real value. The duty payable on their "smokes, drinks and curios" would amount to only a few shillings in all. Caught red-handed, they would have been liable to a fine of at least £20 had they been taken to Court. They therefore gladly signed confessions, paid the duty for which they were liable and listened to a fatherly talking to from Mr. Mcintosh, who warned them that if they were caught a second time they would be taken, to. Court,. • ■