THE CUSTOMS CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 5

THE CUSTOMS CHARGES

FORMIDABLE lIST,

GIERKS & OFFICIALS !H COURf,

TolccriiDU.- Association.)

. Chrlstchweh, December 23. ' j, ~ y'. ils 'oj»'S esses were continued two loltco Court this morning. Additional interest was lent to tli-'i procecdJ"ii» hy tho appearance, of John Hill, landing waiter ifi tli-a Customs at Lyt-loit-on, who hfid only tocou ilifj previous day. Jlr.'A. P. Wiight mi-ciiiCK-u tho ca-ms- on -behalf <n tlw? Customs Department. • Ji'riicst Walter Wood and Jchn Hill Wero charged with stealing £49, the property of W. Brittemlen j'lid Son. Mr. \\ right stated that. Wocd was in tho employ of J. M. Heywood and Co., Customs agents. By tho s.s. Arawa Brittenden and Son imported four eases nf drapery, somo of t'fio contents of which were subject to ft duty of 10 per cent, ad valorem, and other contents to a Utlty of 20 Mr emit. ad valorem. Wood, who was engaged to pa-ss tho particular Roods, put in a prime entry form for ;Clb2 14s. 34,, subject fro a tiutv of £3!) 55., whereas, as a Mistier of fact, (:1m goods were worth INIG-l 3s. . .nut flero subject to a duty ef i;J:> Kj : ;. Wood, mado out a dr>bit for £99 10 s., and it was on t.fie difference thai he was ii-piis.!; charged with ilwft. Hut for the omission of Hill, Wood could not have committed the alleged offence.

Both necuswl pleaded not fiuilly, renerved their defence, ftnd were cominittcd for trial.

Ernest Walter Worn! and John Hilt werotlien charged with, en July last, . stalling £G7 vs., the property of W. Brittenden and Son, of Ciiristchurcli. This case, Mr. Wright said, was similar to the last. BriUeiulen mid Srm im* ported somo goods ex s.s. Komiera. Th« entry put iii was for £235, whereas tho value of tho goods was j;t7o odd, Tim duty payable on Mich was £123 145., whereas tiio amount actually naid was £61 7s. ' " Accused again pleaded not guilty, reserved tlieir defence, and were committwl for trial. Wood v.as granted hia previous bail, self iu £200 and c-.no surety of £?,00, or two of £150 each. Ernest Waller Wood and jatnes Anderson Campbell wort* charged with, on September 15, 1013, stealing £76, tlio property of W. Hrilteiidcii and Sou. Mr. Wright stated that in Kcpttjuibc'r last W. Brittcnd-oa . awl Son. imported (U cases of goods, ex lonic, the vniu«> ef which was £Uln 14s. 3d." Tito 'VSiiiu was declared at £1139 Is. 3d,, and tha correct duty payable was £482 7s. !)d,, but tlio amount ])aid to the Customs Department- was only £856.7s .. M., 'Tim correct amount was debited against Brittenden and So-w and iwid by them, and a cheque for tlio correct amount! was paid by Heywoad and Co. Accused,'who pleaded not guilty., reserved their defence, aild ucro eonuriit-te-d for trial, their previous bail bcinj; granted Hugh Lavton Owen,, and .Tames Anderson Campbell were then charged with on October 7 -stealing till 45.. tho property of Gcofgo ' Davies, Ltd." Mr, Wright said that tlio charge was in.respect to two cases of goods which arrived by/tlio Opftwn. in October last'. Tho goods' w-e-rs textile, and liable to a duty of 20 per cent, Tlioy were passed as trimmings and buttons, which came in free. Owen passed tlio entries and debited tho Sartorial Servieo Co., I«td;:(snccessors of (Jeorgo Davies, Ltd.), with the correct-amount. That amount hnsl not been paid to the Customs Department.

Accused wore committed for trial, both pleading not guilty. Hugh Lawfcen Owen and James Anderson Campbell were charged with on September 30 stealing £22 tho property of tho Crown Clothing Company. Mr. Wright said that tho case for the Crowd was'that certain goods, cx R,napalm, valued at £170 odd, had been girni to Own to pass. The goods had uicorI'octly been valued at £70 odd, and £'i-> 12s. "duty paid, though £37 12s. had been collected from tiio Crown Clothing Coinnaßv. Accused reserved their, defence and were committed for trial. OtlvelP charges wore: 11. L. Owen and J. A. Campbell, alleged t-iwft of £29 165., tho property of Geo. Davies. Ltd. 1 G, C. Francis and ,1.. A, Campbell, alleged theft, of £5 IBs., tho property of J H. Parker; l-I. L. Own and J. Hul, alleged theft- of £14 155., ttso property of Robert Malcolm, Ltd.; H L. Owen I,ihl J. A. Campbell. alleged theft < f £18. the property of Geo. Davies, Ltd.; (J, C. Francis and J. A. Cr.rapbcll, »1lescd theft of £0, tl» properly of ..I. It' Parker and Co. In all these crises accused pleaded sir.t guilty and wero oommiltod far