Woman Fined: Sale Of No-remittance Vehicle

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29798, 14 April 1962, Page 12

Woman Fined: Sale Of No-remittance Vehicle

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 13. A woman who imported a car on a no-remittance licence and sold it within a short time of taking possession pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court today at Wellington to two breaches of the Customs Regulations controlling the importation and re-sale of new motor vehicles.

Irene Rayner, aged 27. a typist, was fined £3 on trie charge of failing to comply with the conditions of the import licence and £25 for giving erroneous information

Mr R D Jamieson, SM. emphasised that the penalty in this case was no guide because of special circumstances

Mr W R Birks, who prosecuted, said the Customs Department was seriously concerned with the black market that had been created with cars imported under noremittance licences and sold before the two-year covenant had expired

Mr Birks said that because Rayner’s offences had taker place before Parliament amended the law on penalties last year, the maximum penalities that could be placed on Rayner were £llO Under the amendment a person can face forfeiture of the ear plus a fine of £2OO

Mr Birks said that Rayner had applied for a no-remit-tance import licence on October 19 1960. and completed a declaration relating to the purpose for which she required the licence Condition on Licence

A licence w’as issued on November 3 It bore a dear indication tihat the vehicle was not to be sold for a period of two years without the consent of the Comptroller of Customs The car arrived tn New Zealand on January 4 1961. and was registered in Raynee’s name on February 23 A transfer was made on March 6 to Matamata Motors and on the same day another transfer was completed to a man named Svlvya in Hamilton

In a general submission Mr Birks saad it had become apparent a number yf cans imported under the noremittance scheme were being put on the market at prices substantially higher .than the listed prices The posi’ion had deteriorated last year and. because of the black market, amending legislation to increase the penalties had come into force on November 10 "The department submits that these breaches are a serious matter, but in this particular case there are mitigating circumstances.” said Mr Birks.

For Rayner. Mr N. B Sievwright said it was a most unfortunate case which had arisen solely through ignorance of the regulations Rayner had been left some money which qualified as overseas funds under the no-remittance scheme. She decided to use these for the purchase of a new car and the balance of £7OO was to be paid off with the help of her brother Two days before she took delivery of trie car. her brother indicated he would not be able to help repay the £7OO

Faced with the task of raising that amount she decided she wo-uld have to sell the car

In the stress of the moment she overlooked what she had signed four months before.