CLAIM FOR £350

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 52, 2 March 1934, Page 7

CLAIM FOR £350

MONEY FROM NEW ZEALAND

SEIZURE ON SHIPS

(From "Tim Post's" Representative.) ■ SYDNEY, February 6. Friday willba the last day for legging .claims ■ following the . seizure on August ';• .24 last of £ 350 in English currency when • the ■ steamship " Piako arrived in Australia from ' New Zealand. In accordance with the requirements in such a case-the Collector of Customs gave notice to three claimants for the money that it was being held until ownership could be settled. It would be necessary to serve writs-on. the. Customs authorities for the return of the money, and be prepared to prove the claim in Court. The parties .were. Mr. S. C. "Willey, ■boatswain on the Piako who found the hoard.;on-the vessel; the New Zealand Government, at whose request "the silver was "seized, it being an illegal export: from New Zealand; the Australian, aigents for the Federal -Steam Navigation Company, the owners of the vessel. ■ . • The-notice was'served under section 2Q71 of the Customs Act, which provides that writs'' for the return of seized • goods -'must be served on the Collector- within four' months. - This time will. eipiie on Friday. So' far Mr.'. "Willey, the boatswain, is the only claimant-who has served a writ. It has since been announced that the owuerßof : the vessel do not intend to make any. claim. The Ne*' Zealand G6vernment has not yet given any information of its intentions. •IVhas "been pointed out by legal authorities that as the silver was in English' coinage there was no prima facie evidence to show that it had ever been in New, Zealand. The Piako-was a British vessel, and the money might ha.ye been .sepreted oa board before she left "England for Australia arid New Zealand. In vieV of this it is not expected, that .the.New Zealand Government will put forward any claim's for the money and in such circumstances +ne boatswain would be free to go forward with his claim for the treasure.