MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Press, Volume C, Issue 29588, 10 August 1961, Page 11

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Wednesday (Before Mir Raymond Ferner, S.M.) UNCUSTOMED GOODS Mervyn Henry Kirby and John Nixon Scott were each fined £BO for being found in possession of uncustomed goods on October 30 at Lyttelton. Both defendants were represented by Mr J. G. Leggat and pleaded guilty. Customs officers on patrol on the No. 2 east wharf saw the two defendants and other persons leave a ship, said Mr I. J. C. Polson. They entered a car which was stopped at the railway crossing, and three bags of uncustomed goods were found in the vehicle. The defendants told the customs officers that they intended to pay the duty on the goods the next morning. Both men had a variety of clothing and jewellers’ and toilet items. The bonded value of Scott’s goods was £39 3s (5d and that of Kirby’s £l2 Os 3d. Mr Leggat said the men had been invited on the ship as the guests of one of the officers. They had no intention of buying anything, but during the conviviality of the evening they were offered some goods and they purchased them. “There is no suggestion that this was a scheme to avoid customs dues.” Mr Leggat said. “The goods were intended for presents only It was inadvertent conduct rather than wilful defiance of the customs laws.’’ A third man had been charged in February, said Mr LeJWtat. REMANDED Frank Avondale Colville Pearce, aged 45 (Mr R. G. Blunt), was remanded to August 17 on a charge of stealing cigarettes to the value of £7O, liquor valued at £l2O, and £242 in money, a total value of £432 17*. from his employer*, the Matiere Cosmopolitan Club, between January 4 and September 23, 1960. FOULED WIRES Canterbury Pipe Lines. Ltd., was fined £lO for not providing clearance of electrical line* on April 7. Evidence was given that a dragline operated by the company had touched overhead high-tension wires and tripped a switch causing a power failure. NO INCOME RETURNS For falling to fumieh returns of income, the following were fined:— Ernest Bertram Diehl. £3; Augustus Patrick Barrett. £S and £5; Coll# Aubrey Bartley, £5; Dougla* Cecil Bennie, £5; Herbert Martin Blazey, £«; Allster Ambrose Bruce. £S and £5; Samuel Tan Cardwell, £3; Dorothy Miriam Ching, £10; Samuel Ernest Arthur Cranston. £S; Joseph Norman Edyvean, £10: Edward Charles Fairbrother, £5; James Joseph Owens, £2O; Ebenzer Round. £5; Stanley Carlton Skurr. £5; Herbert Wilkinson, £5. SHOPS NOT CLOSED For failing to close their shops. James Frederick Reynold* and Eric Francis Stevens, were each fined £3. ____________