COSTLY SILK DRESSES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 31 July 1930, Page 8

COSTLY SILK DRESSES

SMUGGLERS FINED £650 LONDON MAN AND FIANCEE A fiC-vcar-old city man and his fijaniceq, a young; French woman, Uor whom: lie: had bought a number of silk dresses abroad, were together fined £650 in. London recently for fraudulent. evasion of 'Customs duties at Victoria (Station. The defendants were Os'car Lang, described: -as a. prominent city man. (who was fined £550, and Andree Rustcnholz. who was fined £IOO. Both fines were paid on the' spot, , Mr R. L. Fisk, prosecuting counsel, said Lang and Rustenholz were firstclass passengers from the Continent, travelling with two servants. They were jointly charged, the suggestion being that these people of wealth were in collusion to defraud the (Customs. The treble duty claim on very valuable siilk dresses and So forth amounted to £I4OO.

Maurice O’Flynn, officer of Customs, said that Lang asked for the clearance of six trunks at Victoria, and said he had nothing to declare, adding: ‘We .ire only bringing back what we took with u’s.” The woman said: “That is correct.” The woman’s trunks (Were examined and: found to contain a number of dress'es, all of which, it was subsequently admitted, /word 'acquired at places abroad. Lang said to witness: “T want you to im d erst and- t limit I nFeept ful l responsibility for this matter, J. paid, for the dressed and I knew they wore there. The lady is mv guest and she will be over here, for about two months. ’ ’

Lang gave evidence, and said he had no intention' to defraud the Customs. but regarded the dresses* as in transit for a temporary stay in England. After the fines were announced Lang asked: Shall we got the goods back? Mir Fisk: They are forfeited, but you can apply to the Commissioner of Customs for permission to buy them back.