VALUE OF RACEHORSE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 218, 15 August 1931, Page 7

VALUE OF RACEHORSE.

FINES IN SIMBA ACTION. SYDNEY, Aug. 14. Charges against William Calnan and George Guest arising out of the importation of the racehorse Simba were heard to-day. Calnan was charged with wrongfully stating the value of the horse and having wrongly described Simba. Guest was charged with having understated Simba’s value at £l5O. Evidence was given by Customs officers that Calnan, ■ who is described as a livestock shipper, took delivery of Simba from the TJlimaroa last May, saying that he intended to race Simba at pony meetings. When asked about its value for primage duty he replied: “About £150.” He signed a letter to that effect. A Customs investigation officer later interviewed Calnan, when he admitted that the horse was not his. He was merely acting for “Joe Smith, a pony trainer.” Later again, at another inerview when Guest was present, Guest interposed: “Simba was consigned to Joe Smith by mistake. Mr Jamieson, of New Zealand, who bought this horse for me, and who knew Smith used to train horses for me, was not aware that Smith had given up training, and I' forgot to tell him. A customs officer named Bradley said that Guest told him he did not want the fact know'll that Simba was worth a big price as this would affect the betting market. He also feared unit Calnan would get into the betting market ahead of him. The primage duty originally paid was £ll 14s lid, but since then £7O 9s lOd had been paid. After other evidence had been given Calnan was fined £IOO, with £7 4s 6d costs, in default imprisonment until the payment of the fine. Guest was fined £25. Each was allowed a month in which to pay his fine.

In June it was reported that inquiries were being made regarding the whereabouts of the racehorse Simba, which arrived from Auckland on May 5, since when it has not been traced. It had not been registered in Australian. On July 7 the mystery v'as cleared up when G. Guest, owner of tho ox-Now Zealand horses Tone and Torquil, admitted his ownership of Simba.