Firm on liquor charge

Press, 2 May 1981, Page 5

Firm on liquor charge

PA Auckland There was no evidence to suggest that an Auckland company had added too much w’ater to spirits before packing it into bottles, Judge J. R. Aubin has said. But the company, Bondpak (N.Z.). Ltd, pleaded guilty in the District Court at Auckland to 10 charges of allowing cases of liquor worth $53,364 to be removed from a Te Atatu warehouse without Customs permission, between 1978 and 1980. Thomas Warwick Aitken, aged 53, a manager, of St

Heliers, pleaded guilty to six charges involving $37,216 worth of liquor, and was convicted and fined $2640. The company was convicted and fined $5lOO. Olaf Clifford Eady, aged 42, a manager of Remuera, pleaded guilty to two similar charges involving $13,885 worth of liquor, and was convicted and fined $2580. The Judge said that there was no evidence to suggest that the spirits had been watered-down too much, and there was no cause for public concern. He said that the offences involved the non-payment of Customs duty on substantial amounts of liquor, and it was submitted that these had occurred without the board of

directors’ knowledge. “But there must be an extremely high obligation upon corporate employers to ensure that staff do carry out requirements of Customs legislation,” the judge said, and it was not sufficient for them to say “we don’t know about it” when a misdemeanour occurred. Earlier, Mr M. Ruffin, for the Crown, had said that the company ran a licensed Customs warehouse at Te Atatu, which broke down and repacked bulk spirits into bottles. Last September it was discovered by the Customs Department that batches of overproof whisky and gin were understrength, indicating extra water had been

added to the holding tanks. Mr Ruffin said that Mr Aitken had said the staff were told to add water on 12 occasions over a three-year period to cover for spillage and other factors. This was done after readings were taken by the Customs Department. It was also dicovered that some liquor was being stored in a carriers’ shed, which did not have Customs clearance. Investigations showed that on many occasions excess liquor had been stored there before being taken to a satellite company .or disposal, said Mr Ruffin.