Charged With Smuggling Stockings

Chronicle (Levin), 25 June 1949, Page 7

Charged With Smuggling Stockings

AUCKLAND, June 24. ChaBged with smaggling 164 pairs of stoekings into New Zealand on May 17, Robert G-eorge Thomson Brown, aged 34, proprietor of Markways' Limited, Christchurch, pleaded not guilty betore Mr Jf. McCarthy S.M., in the-Pol-ice Court today. The magistrate reserved his deeision. , Appearing for the proseeution, Mi C. Speight said defendant liew from riydney to Auckland. He made no mention of any . stoekings in the Custom's deelaratidi). which he had signed, but 164 pairs of stockings were founc in his two suitcases. A Custoin's searching officer 'gave evidence that he found two large parcels and several smaller ones in two suitcases and asked what was in them. Defendant said .they were stoekings which he was bringing, to New Zealand as samples. Called in evidencfe, Brown said he went to Australia to, examiue the possibilities of his iirm importing stockings. He bought most of the stockings in Sydney, but was given some by various iirms. "When I lilled in the declaration in the flying-boat i read a paragraph stating that ' tools oi trade' were exernpt from duty. Because of this I did not ueclare the stoekings. ' ' Mr W. N. White, counsel for Brown, said passengers had little chance to ask questions about the. declaration form until their iuggage was e.wiminea. Brown made no attempt to conceal the parcels and was frank about their contents. The stockings were not i'or sale but would have oeen used to clieek the cjuality of stockings which Brown hoped'to import.