CHARGE OF SMUGGLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18459, 24 July 1923, Page 9

CHARGE OF SMUGGLING.

AN ITALIAN IN COURT. [BY TELEGRAPH.- —PIIESS ASSOCIATION, j WELLINGTON, Monday. A case in which an Italian fisherman, Francesco Cataldo, was charged with smuggling 200 cameos into New Zealand, and - unshipping them here . without a permit, i was heard before Mr. E. Page, S.M. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. P. S. K. Macassey, said the defendant arrived in New Zealand from Italy on June 6, 1921, and had 200 cameos in his possession, 104 of which he sold to local jewellers. The ease ' was then ' brought grinder the notice of ths Customs authorities, and a greater number of the cameos were , recovered.■ Basil Warring, a clerk in the Customs Office, t said; that the Customs Duties ? Act, 1908, imposed a duty on all goods imported, with certain exceptions. On various fancy goods the duty was 30 per cent. : Cameos were classed as fancy goods, and this had been the case ; for the past; 15 years. In June, 1923, the Minister definitely stated that cameos made of shell were fancy goods. , ; - One purchaser of cameos said she had no idea at the - time of purchase that : the goods had not been t through the customs. The defendant said He purchased thom from a: boat which came alongside the steamer at Naples. , Decision was reserved.