THE FEDERAL CUSTOMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 19

THE FEDERAL CUSTOMS.

■ ♦ THE TROUBLE ABOUT SHIPS' STORES. DANGER OF INTERNATIONAL COMPLICATIONS. MELBOURNE, December 19. At the District Court three charges were laid against the captain of the Luitpold for an alleged infringement of the Customs Act m regard to- ships' stores. The hearing was adjourned till December 30. December 21. Leave was given to appeal to the Privy Council against the conviction of the captain -of the Oceana for breaking into the customs stores. SYDNEY, December 18. Further complications have arisen in connection with the Prince Regent Luit- | pold. On arrival of the steamer from j Melbourne it was found the customs seals had again been broken and stores j used. Fresh seals were affixed, and ! pending further action the discharge of the cargo ib prohibited. When the Prince Regent Luitpold was released at i Melbourne it was on the understanding ' that the captain would accept the ser- • vice of three summonses for alleged ! breaches of the Customs Act, and if the seals were broken en route to ' Sydney the venue would be changed to • Sydney, where the previous three and , the additional charges for which the captain accepted service upon arrival | will be heard. Meantime the agents of the North German Lloyd's Company have submitted the case to the German Consul-general, who is communicating with the German Government. The company's case is that it was absolutely j necessary to break the seals to obtain J stores for the maintenance of the people | aboard. The agents guaranteed, under protest, to pay the duty on the stores consumed in port only pending instruc- ! tions from the company's head office at [ Bremen, but refused to give a guarantee with reference to stores consumed outside the three-mile limit, on the ground that payment of duty on the high seas

could only be executed by the Urevman s Government. I i December 19. 1 | In response to a request by consignees to be allowed to get delivery of good*; , urgently required for the Christmas , trade, the Federal Minister of Customs ! has permitted the Luitpold to commence discharging cargo unconditionally. This } permission in no way interfere with any I future action to be taken in reference to breaking customs .seals. The agents of the North German Lloyd's have received a wire from Fre- ! i mantle stating that the Necker, which ' recently left Sydney en route for Germany, has been detained. It is understood the detention is the result of breaking the seals. The customs authorities state that unless an unconditional guarantee is j given and the penalties incurred paid, ' no permit will be issued for allowing J the Luitpold to continue discharging, j The reply of the German Government ! to the Consul-general's communication is ] awaited with much interest. It is • understood that the German Imperial I authorities will refer the matter to Mr Chamberlain. The French boats are as much interested as the German, and the J statement is- made that the French are j backing up the Germans in the matter, j The Assembly is holding protracted ' sittings in view of the Christmas adjournment to-morrow. In reply to a question whether he had noticed a cable ■ J from New Zealand to the effect that the • Treasurer referred to the floating of the ; New Zealand loan as very satisfactory ; ( considering tnat two millions of the New j • South Wales loan were still unplaced, the" , Premier said there was no truth what- I ever in the statement that two millions were unplaced. The New South Wales Government did place four millions on the market, which had been taken up. ' ' I The loan was a great success. They had ] j not placed, and did not intend to place, j I another loan on the London market at j present, as they could get all the money ; required locally. December 20. Mr Barton, who is at present in Syd- . ney, lias been officially informed that i the agents of the Neckar have deposited £50, that the captain has been released , ( | from bail, and that the steamer has ' 1 sailed. j [ | December 21. \ t \ A feeling, backed to 'ome extent by 1 legal opinion, is prevalent that, however 1 legal the Federal Government's position " I may be in regard to breaking ships' seals \ as far as British &hips are concerned, a ( I new factor comes into the problem when ' I a foreign vessel is in question ; while ' the refusal to allow the discharge of j ; cargo raises an even more debatable point. In reply to a strong protest, Mr Kingston has now informed the German Con- ! d sul-geueral that he gave no orders to r stop the discharge of the Luitpold's ' * cargo. I * Mr Barton holds that there is no international question involved. The law ap- a plies to all vessels, and foreign ships are a entitled to no more consideration than British. I $

]j ADELAIDE, December 18. I On arrival of the German steame: Sonneberg it was discovered that thi customs heals placed on the stores a Fremantle had been broken. It i understood the company intend to figh ' the matter out with the Federal autho ritie-- . December 19. In connection with the Sonneberg, th< captain gave a guarantee that prior t( leaving Fremantle the duty would b< paid on all stores consumed en xoute. PERTH, December 20. On the arrival of the .steamer Neckar bound from Sydney to Germany, tl« seals were found to be broken. The loca agents refused to give a guarantee to paj the duty or accept service of a wrii against the steamer. The collector oi customs then applied for and obtainet a- warrant against the captain, who was charged in court with breaking the customs seals, in defence he said that he broke the seals on his own responsibility in order to obtain food for the passengers. He was fined £25 and costs. Failing to obtain a guarantee for payment of the fine, the prosecution applied for an order of commitment, and the captain was formally arrested, but admitted to bail. The captain now awaits further instructions from Sydney, and the Neckar i*. meantime detained. In refusing to pay the duty the captain says he is acting under direct instructions from the German Consul-general. It is intended eventually to bring the matter before Mr Cnamberlain. December 21. The Neckar's captain gave notice of appeal against his conviction. He deposited £50 as security for the costs of the appeal, and was thereupon liberated, and triumphantly escorted to the steamer by- the passengers, who presented him with a gold locket. LONDON, December 21. Count yon Bulow, the Germau Im- | perial Chancellor, is in communication I with Great Britain regarding the prosecution in Au^-tarlia of the North German Lloyd's Company's steamers for breaking the customs seals. The Daily Chronicle advises the Commonwealth to amend the Customs Act in order to avoid international complieatioiis.