$l000 Fine Imposed For Customs Breach

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 30

$l000 Fine Imposed For Customs Breach

(New Zealand Press Association)

TAURANGA, October 14. A $lOOO fine was imposed today by Mr M. C. Astley, S.M., on a Tauranga man who pleaded guilty to a charge of committing a breach of the Customs Act, 1966.

Two charges were brought against Feodor Stanton, aged 41, of Stanton Motors, Ltd, Tauranga, but one was withdrawn. Mr J. D. Patterson prosecuted for the Collector of Customs, and Mr W. I. Thomason appeard for Stanton. Stanton admitted a charge that on February 6, 1967, at Tauranga, he was party to an offence, namely that Doreen Alston Storr knowingly made a false declaration for the purpose of obtaining a licence under section 48 of the Customs Act, 1966, for the im-

portation of a Ford Falcon station waggon into New Zealand, by declaring that it was intended solely for her personal and family use and that it would not be sold within one year after importation without the permission of the Collector of Customs.

The Magistrate, in imposing the penalty, said the maximum penalty was $lOOO or three times the value of the goods to which the charge related, whichever was the greater. In this case the greater value was $7BOO. “A breach of this kind is regarded seriously. It is well known that a good deal of it goes on, but the Treasury officials can’t police the whole country, and a stem view is taken when it does come before the courts. “It interferes with the fis-

cal policy of the country and overseas funds—a vital part of the country’s economy. “A penalty of $7BOO would be extravagantly unjust. I am satisfied the woman let her name be used and was paid £6O for this,’ 'he said.