CLAIM FOR CUSTOMS DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1439, 14 May 1912, Page 5

CLAIM FOR CUSTOMS DUTY.

WAIIII COMPANY SUED. (By Tclcsra'sh.—l'ress Association.) Auckland, May 13. Tho claim against tha Waihi Gold Mining Company for duty alleged to bo duo and unpaid upon certain machinery has been in prei>aratioii by tho Customs Department for somo time, and a case was heard at the Suprou'.o Court before Jlr. Justico Edwards. , Tho claim, which is made by tho Minister for Customs, is for ,£1067 12s. 10d., being duty alleged to bo due upon certain imported pumps. , Tho Hon. J. A. '1010 appeared for tho Customs Department, and the defendant company was represented by Mr. T. Cotter, K. 0., with him Sir. C. J. Tunks. • Tha caso was explained to the iury by Mr. Tole as depending as far as tlio facts were concerned upon whether tho imported machines wero truly sinking pumps intended for mining purposes, and ires of duly as claimed by the defendants, or pumps not exclusively intended for mining, and so dutiable, as claimed bv the Department. Tlio importations consisted of pumps and motors to drive (hem. Sinking pumps for mining purposes wore free of dutv; others carried a duty of 20 per ! cent., and electric motors were subject to 10 per ceut. When tho goods were landed tho Customs officials accepted the comnaiiy's statement that the appliances were sinking pumps, but some time after, wards donbt was thrown upon the statement, and tho Department now claimed that tho pumps were ordinary fixed pumps and liable to duty as machinery used in connection with the lnnntilaclure of metal. The point had, in accordance with the Act, been referred to tho Minister for decision, and he had decided that tho pumps were not sinking pumps, and were, dutiable. That decision relieved the jury from deciding whether they were sinking punms. The defendants claimed that representatives of the Customs Department had seen tho pumps in operation, knew what, thov were used for, and passed thoni notwithstanding. The Department denied this, but; claimed that even if such a mistake were made, it was not debarred from making the claim. The question for the jury was whether (lie disputed poiul had been referred to the Minister lor Customs for decision, and whether tho company knew of the decision, and refused to pay (ho duty. ■ J Kvidonee was given by two Customs landing waiters and by the Collector of Customs at Auckland. During tlio cross-examination of the la s t witness, Mr. Notice's method of questioning was sou-rely criticised by his Honour, who disallowed many of the (|ue-tkmsas inadmissible, mid objected (o them i'fr various other reasons. Mr. Cotter finally sat down, complaining that he was nt receiving common courtesy, and tho was adjourned till to-morrow. Par Bronchial Coughs and Cold=, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is. Gd * Appkr'trees known lo have been planted bv ihe French two hundred years ago are piill vigorous in the Annapoi'ic Valley, Xova Scotia. The Premier's post bug has been a record letely. The jiestal deliveries to his bouss, ftt 10 Downing Street, have exceeded anything known before,