THE MYSTERIES OF STAMPCOLLECTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 33

THE MYSTERIES OF STAMPCOLLECTING.

BREACHES OF THE STAMP ACT. Mr Young, S.M., was engaged at the Dunedin Police Court on the 20th and 21st hearing various charges, against William Lawrence Hooper. He was first charged with dealing in stamps, being an unlicensed person. Robert Grant Anderson, formerly a postal clerk, stated that be purchased an unused stamp valued at £5 from accused, receiving ordinary discount. Accused showed him other stamps which he said ho might be able to dispose of to lawyers. Detectivesergeant Kemp gave evidence of searching accused’s premises and taking possession of £2O worth of stamps, which accused said he had /purchased from a man named Smith. The Wellington police also took possession of £SO in stamps. Hooper said he bought £4O worth of stamps fdom Smith for £ls. The magistrate said that an irregularity had been committed in selling the stamp to a clerk, but ho thought the transaction did not constitute dealing in stamps. Regarding official stamps, a licensed dealer could not deal in these. The section applied only to such stamps as licensed persons were authorised to deal in. The information was dismissed. The department subsequently notified that the decision would be appealed against. Hooper then was charged with using an official overprint adhesive stamp as postage on a packet, with intent to defraud the revenue. Evidence showed that accused used official stamps for postage of private correspondence. The prosecution contended that this was defrauding the State. Accused had been warned not to use these stamps. Official stamps might be eold for philatelic purposes, hut not for use. Mr Hanlon, for the defence, contended that the prosecution had failed to disclose fraudulent intent or that defendant had committed an act defrauding the revenue. A fine of £5, with £ls 13s costs was inflicted. In the ease in which Hooper was charged that, on or about July 16, he did receive stamps valued at £4O, the property of the Now Zealand Government, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained, the prosecution applied for a remand, stating that Straok, from whom the stamps were received, had been arrested in Australia, and was returning in custody. The application was granted.