CUSTOMS CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1749, 15 May 1906, Page 2

CUSTOMS CASE.

ALLEGED EVASION OF DUTY,

(Per Frcsa Association.) Dunedin, last night.

The adjourned case in which the Collector of Customs piosecutad Ernest James Fonn, of Steua-t and Fenn, electrical engineers, in respect to a declaration made as to dutiable goods, was continued to-day before Mr W. G. Widdoweon, S.M. The firm had ordered an eleotrical plant from 1 Brush and Co., and when tbe invoic* and goods arrived tjie usual declaration was made as to value, the figures of the invoice beiog accepted as eorreo'. Brush and 00. had since sent a decVation that tbe dutiable goods, in-tead of being of the value oi L 69 havo been valued at Ll6O, the mistake haviDg been made by tbeir clerk. Tbe goods wero in tbe moantimo detained and cenfisoated. Evidence was given for the dofenoo. Mr Fraser, for the Crown, said the declarations were made by importers who had speoial knowledge, and wore the only people who had that knowledge. The man who eaid “ I do not know,” or “ I never gave the matter a [thought,” was guilty of fraudulently concooting a scheme for defrauding the Customs. His Worship reserved his decision on the information under section 243,

A summons charging Fenn with being knowingly concerned in fraudulent evasion was dismissed, no evidenoe being called on it.