BEWARE OF CUSTOMS

Chronicle (Levin), 3 August 1946, Page 5

BEWARE OF CUSTOMS

WARNING TO VISITORS TO AUSTRALIA

Received Saturday, 1 a.m. SYDXEY, August 2. A warniug to future visitors to the Commonwealth was issueil todav l>v M r. W. Taylor, New Zealand Trade Comiuissioiier 111 Australia. "All passengers should takc partieular care to ensure tliat their (.ustoms deelarations cover ;tll items other tlian personal ell'ects inciuded in their baggage, othervvise they are Jiable to a [ituialtv and conliseation ot undeclareil itenis, ' ' said Mr. Taylor. " Cp to 100 cigarettes or I'our ounees of tobacco for a ]iassenger's immediate use, are permit ted free entry but must be de.clared. In addition passengers may declare and jiav duty on a turtlier ijnantity up to 1000 cigarettes or 2f pounds weiglil of tobacco. Any quantities in exccss of these aniouuts are liable to eonliscation unless the imssenger is in possession of an import iicenee eoveriug tlie itenis." _ Australian Customs otticials now strictly interpret the regulations providing for heavy penaltics and couliseation of all duti'ible goods not lully declared bel'ore Varrival. For many vears \'erbal deelarations 011 arrival at a wharf or airport have been adeijuate in ridation to cigarettes and tobacco broughl for peisoual cousumpt 1011. The present position has arisen by reason of iilack marketing by inembers of crews of overseas sliips. Tlie Customs Depart iuent • retaliated by organising special squads to apply a small tootli eonib to- shlps ' 'crews ';Uid - p.'issengeiw Tluis millions of cigarettes aml quantities of hosicry and liquor have been confscated. Tlie new methods have shocked visitors l'roni New Zealand who, expocting the old systom of insjieetion and pavinent 011 tlie. wharf, lind their undeclared cigarettes conlisealed and lines inqiosed.