A CUSTOMS CASE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1259, 14 October 1911, Page 4

A CUSTOMS CASE.

FINE OF m AND COSTS. (Br TclcirraDh.—Press Asiioclatlon.) Auckland, October 13. On Wednesday last Herbert Selbourn Roso, a clerk employed by Messrs. J. MncEwan and Co., Ltd., declavod to tho Customs tbat the inroico value of certain milk-cans imported from Sydnoy was £18 Bs. 4d., and that be had no other invoice of tho goods, whereas there was an invoice in his firm's possession at the Brno giving tho value- at .£25 Hs, 9d. Ho waa charged at tho Police Court this morning. before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., with making a false declaration. Mr. Mahony, who represented accused, entered a plea of guilty. Ho stated that tho declaration related to milk-cans manufactured in Sweden and imported from Sydney, where tho Swedish firm had a branch. Tho Sydney branch made a charge of 10 per cent, over and abovo rate freight and insurance, etc., and tho only manner in which the cost could bo arrived at by tho clerk here was by a guess at the charges and adding 10 per cent, to tho Stockholm cost. Recently a change had been niado in tho Sydney management, and as a result two invoices had been forwarded, tho second one showing tho rato freight and insurance, etc., between Sydney and Stockholm. _ Roso made the declaration on tho first invoice, as ho had been in tho custom of doing. There was no knowledge of this on tho part of tho firm's principals, and no intention of fraud. Mr. Selwyn Mays, who represented tho Department, pointed out tliat it was not necessary in making tho declaration for tho declarant to know it to be false to enable-himi to bo punished. ■• Ho did not for a moment suggest that tho false declaration had been wilfully made. Tho (idmiuistration of tho Customs relied largely on roturus supplied by importers and their agents, and in order to protect tho revenue it was of extreme importance that people made truthful and careful returns. The only way to ensure that waa to mako tho declarant responsible for a. mistako or for carelessness. Tho magistrate imposed tho minimum fine of £100, which was reduced to one o f .£25 and costs.