SMUGGLING OF HATS

Evening Star, Issue 21319, 25 January 1933, Page 10

SMUGGLING OF HATS

NINE WORTH OVER £SO OFFENCE COSTS WOMAN DEARLY. Ida Haines, a buyer, was fined £7O, with £lO 10s costs, and Sabine Hole, a designer, £5, at Folkestone on December 6, for attempted evasion of duties on nine model hats bought in Paris for copying purposes, and three feathers. Prosecuting counsel said that the women wore passengers arriving at Folkestone from Boulogne on August 23. After two pieces of their baggage had been passed the Customs official noticed a number of invoices for hats in Miss Haines’s handbag, and durum a further examination the two women admitted that the hals they wore wearing had boon bought for their firm in Paris. Miss Haines later asked the Customs officer to leave the office, stating: ” 1 will produce the remainder.” When he was called bat* another hat jvas produced* and three

feathers which Miss Haines admitted had been concealed under her arms. Counsel described the case as a most deliberate and ingenious attempt to delraud the Customs.” , ... , ~ , Defending counsel submitted that Miss Haines took full responsibility and pleaded ? The’ total value of the nine hats was stated to bo £53, and prosecuting counsel observed: “ These figures sound awful to a mere man.” '