SMUGGLED JEWELLERY

Chronicle (Levin), 20 July 1948, Page 5

SMUGGLED JEWELLERY

Press Assopigtipn)

Epglish Farmer's Costly Dealings In Gems

(Pej-

WELLINGTON, July 20. The story pf how a South of Engiand farmer set out froin the Homexand for New Zealand with i the proceeds of the saie of his land j (£70u0) and, after stopping en route j at South Africa," had finally been chafged on "arrival in Npw Zealand j with endeavouring to smuggle precious stones into the' country, Jwas tol'd by cpunsel, Dr. O. C. Mazengarb, in. " the • Magistrate's ^ourt today. " Accused was William Frederick [ Edney, who appeareb . on suminons 1 after having been in'terrqgated 'and s,earched by police an'd Customs officials on his arrival on the Arawa last . week. He pleaded guilty to a charge of the attempted spiuggling of 31 rings, 69 opals and 91 bangles, of an approxiftiate value of_ £313. The magistrate, Mr. J. S. Hanna, fined him £35, the jewels having been confiscated by the Customs Department. On behalf of the Collector of Customs, who prosecuted, it was stated that the stones had been :found in the padding of accused's coat and in a little parcel in his pocket. Dr. Mazengarb „ said accused, while stopping in South Africa, had been urffortunately lefi into certain dealings with some mines people. |He believed he would be acquiring an interest in the manufacture of emeralds and opals. HoweVer, he found later that he had . been tricked and that the stones were cheap ones known as beryls. He complained to the police and as a result the people he accused intimated to the pofice that he migfit be engaged in the smuggling of diamonds. He was watched by the police when in Australia and subsequently searched on arrival in Weilington. The stones found on him were all that remained of "the wrack." Dr! Mazengarb added that onjy about £1000 remained of accused's capital.