THE DIFFERENCE.
Ashort time agoaparty of bicyclists wont to Sydney to take part in some contests there, and they between them won trophiea to the value of £12. When the trophies arrived here they were impounded by the Customs authoiities. How that happened is told by the New Zealand Wheelman as follows i—
Mr William Kerr, the seoretary of the sports meeting, promised that he would get them engraved and then forward tbem to Mr Hayward. He did sd, and the managing olerk of the Sydney ofllce oi the Shipping Company for greater oare consigned them to a clerk in the Christchurch office. Tbey were accordingly given to the puiser on board, and not entered on the ship's manifest, and this is where tlie mistake oocurred. The clerk nere reoeived a letter from the aforesaid clerk in Sydney stating that he had taken the liberty of sending a parcel to him for Mr Hayward. When the company's office boy went to the wharf tor the ship's papers, &c, he asked for the parcel also, and when coming np the street with it was seized and summoned before the Couit, and charged with haviog dutiable goods lv his possession. The lad admitted the charge, but denied tbat he had any intention of smuggling. Io faot he was simply carrying out his employers' orders. The Collector of Customs sued for £36, which was treble thn value of the goods, and the Bench inflicted a tine of that amount, but reduoed it to £9, the trophies to be forfeited.
We have met with quite a different story. It is to the eff.ot that since that seizure a fire brigade "Captain" from Ballarat has reached the3eshores. He went on board tbe steamer that conveyed him here with his wife and family. His luggage was marked " Captain," He told his fellow passengers, tint he and his family were going to settle In New Zealand, and that he had got a good billet promised to him by a brother-in-law. He further boasted that this brother-in-law was a gentleman known io the_e p.irta as a Minister. This luoky "Captain" lalso showed with some pride a massive gold-headed and dutiable cane, presented to him by admiring friends shortly before leaving Ballarat. This cane waa not concealed in any way, nor the fact that lt was a presentation cane hidden. But when the "Ciptain" and his dutiable cane reaohed Wellington no officious Customs officer wanted to know anything abont it. On the contrary, the Ministerial brother-ln-lawtook the cane in his hand and walked ashore with it, and it did not go to the place where the bicycle raco trophies went. This story, whether true or false, is being retailed all over Wellington, and uuless the faota alleged oan be refuted, there are several big " morals " in It.
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Bibliographic details
Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9539, 27 November 1893, Page 2
Word Count
468THE DIFFERENCE. Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9539, 27 November 1893, Page 2
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