CLAIM FOR £350

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18332, 26 February 1934, Page 9

CLAIM FOR £350

MONEY FROM N.Z. SEIZURE ON SHIP SYDNEY, feu. b. Friday will be the last day for lodging claims following the seizure ou August 24 last of X.bcQ m English currency when the steamer Piako arrived ill Australia from New Zealand. In accordance with the requirements in such a. case the collector of customs gave ■notice to three claimants for the money that it was being held until ownership could be settled. " It would bt> jiepessary to serve, writs ou the customs authorities for the return of the money, and be prepared to prove the claim in court. The parties were: Mr. S. C. Willey, •boatswain on the Piako., who taund-tiie hoard on the vessel; the New Zealand Government, at whose request the silver was seized, it being an illegal export from New Zealand; and the Australian agents for the Federal Steam Navigation Company, the owners of the vessel. I The notice was served under section 207 of the Customs Act, which provides that writs for the return of seized goods must be served oil the collector within four months. This time will expire oil Friday. So far Mr. Willey, the boatswain, is the only claimant who lias served a writ. It*has since been announced that the owners of the vessel do not intend to make any claim. The New Zealand Government has not yet given any, in formaof ite.WiteaibWFc , It has been pointed out by .JejgM authorities that as the silver wag in English coinage there was no prima facie evidence to show that it ►had. eyey been in New Zealand. The Piako was a British vessel, ajud the money blight have been secreted on board before she left England for Australia and New Zealand. In view of this it is not expected that the New* Zealand Government will put forward any claims for the money and in such circumstances the boatswain would lie free to go forward with his claim for the treasure.