DEFRAUDING THE CUSTOMS

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13841, 22 December 1908, Page 5

DEFRAUDING THE CUSTOMS

AMERICA \S LOSSES.

TRICKERY ON ALL SIDES

By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright.

(Hereived Dec. 22, 8.8 a.m.)

NEW YORK, Dec. 21

The Cominill.ee which is inquiring into the American tariff lias discovered that tho Treasury is losing enormously through systematic under-valualion of goods, especially those from parts of Germany, Switzerland and Japan. The Government appraiser admits that British valuations are tho most honcbt in the world.

The United States Government has asked European Governments to compel exporters to make valuations on oath. All have agreed except Germany. A witness before the Committee declared that a New York lawyer had received a fee of £16,000 and another £50,000 for suggesting means of evading the Customs on two individual shipments.