A SMUGGLING CASE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12291, 7 September 1905, Page 4

A SMUGGLING CASE.

PROCB#>INGS ATXYITELTON;

.David Greerywasicharged at tiuJiLytr teltoh; Court yesterday, before Mr^W.G. S.M;*Vwith having on July 6th,"been inpossession of two pairs of woollen (drawers .on which Customs duty had not been paid. Mr John MA—,"! collector of Customs; appeared toi'prosecute. admitted having Lad the 5 goods* but pleaded that he did, not know.th.i'c they were 'liable to duty.' Thomas A. Murphy, Customs tido surveyor," stated that on July sth tho defendant came into the Lyttelton Customhouse about, a parcel which had been detained by one of the tide winters. The parcel oontained two pairs of woollen drawers, wrapped in tissue paper, and in,a fireman's sweater.! There was no distinguishing mark on thorn,. and defendant would not tell witness from whom he had got them. When the steamer Storm, to whioh defendant belonged, next came into Lyttelton, defendant came to the office, and asked for the drawers, saying that he would pay the duty on thsm. Witness told him that the drawers had gone to Christchurch, and that he had better see the collector, In answer to the defendant, Mr Murphy said that defendant would not give him the name of the person from whom he got the drawere, as it might get the man into trouble. Defendant said he was not smuggling, as he had brought the things : 'm v -h_. .hand, so that any one could see them. Defendant, in giving evidenoe, said he was engineer on the steamer Storm. He was acquainted with an engineer on the steamer Aotea, and he had asked tho latter to call at his (defendant's) house in London, and get some clothes he had left there. When the Aotea returned to the colony, that engineer was not on board, but another engineer told defendant that there was a parcel for him, sent by his wife. This parcel contained the drawere. Defendant took them ashore, and. was stopped by a person whom he took ..to be" a y clerk I of the shipping company. This person i asked him what he had got, and" witness replied that' the parcel contained drawers which he had bought on the Aotea. The man took the paroel, and said that he-must see Mr Murphy, which defendant did. Defendant did not offer to pay the duty at that time. Ho had been in the colony for about nine months. To Mr Mills: Defendant had been at sea for many years, and knew that Customs duties had to be paid at most ports. His Worship said that defendant was himself to blame for the position in wtoeh he found himself. Had he made proper inquiries, at the timo, he would have known that he was liable to pay duty on the goods. The. Customs authorities had elected, to sue for a penalty of three times the value of the goods, which, would be forfeited. Defendant would be convicted and ordered to pay £1 13s, treble the value of the drawere, and costs 7s.