ILLEGAL IMPORTS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 12

ILLEGAL IMPORTS

Fine, Goods Forfeited On six charges of illegally importing goods valued at £8689, K. F. Meates and Company, Ltd., was fined the minimum of £25 on each charge by Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The goods were ordered to be forfeited to the Customs Department, and costs of £1 10s on each charge were ordered to be paid, with £7 17s 6d solicitor’s fees. Mr W. F. Brown, who appeared for the company, took the charges as read and entered a plea of guilty on each. The charges involved toys worth £7085, cutlery worth £436, brushware worth £lO3, artificial flowers worth £B4O, and perpetual calendars worth £225.

The Crown Solicitor (Mr C. M. Roper) said the charges arose from the importation of goods from the Far East into New Zealand without the appropriate import licences in June and July last year. The company faced 15 similar charges last December, said Mr Roper. The present charges arose out of the same set of circumstances and were, in effect, washingup charges. Mr Roper said that because they were washing-up charges and the goods would be forfeited, it was suggested that •a minimum fine of £25 on each charge would be proper. Mr Brown said he had addressed the Court at considerable length by way of mitigation in December, and he did not wish to address the Court again, as the situation had not changed.