CUSTOMS FRAUDS CHARGES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1957, 14 January 1914, Page 7

CUSTOMS FRAUDS CHARGES.

MOTOR-CAR INVOICE CASES. By. Telegraph—Press Asaceiation-Cowrirtt , London, January 12. In the caso in which Ralph Milburn, Walter John Kemsloy, Edward William Idle, Bruce Anthony Cuthbcrison, and Alfred lidvrards Kcmsjey tiro charged on remand with conspiring with Raymond Ev/ait Komsley, William Cowlo, Cecil Thomas Bray, Charles Brown Kellow, Isaac Fteackerley, and others, to defraud His Majesty's Customs of duty on motor-cars, cycles, tyres, and accessories imported into Australia by menus of (also* invoices and declarations, between January, 10Qj, and June, 1910, Mr. Shorland, manager for the Clement* Talbofc Company, was re-examined. The witness admitted that clerical wi'ors had occurred in fifteen invoices between September and December, 1009. In the invoices the net price Tor tyres was treated as the. gross price. ■■ Mr. Bodkin, ICC, objected to the admission of these invoices. Counsel for the prosecution contended that the defendants must have, known that tho invoices woro wrong. The prosecution did not accept tho statement that the mistakes were clerical. ■ Ho pointed out that Idle had returned a batch of invoices to Sir. Shorland, requesting that they ho corrected in accordance with tho arrangement made with Shorland. Tim Magistrate upheld Mr. Bodkin's objection. The further hearing of the case was adjourned.. . ... ... ~, , ■ In his evidence, in ch«-f, Mr. , Rlwrland said that the company had fixed n low price for tho bodies of the car.", n,s it. wa.«- to thoir interest, to kor-p down the valuable dutiable parts. The price of tyres followed the price of Hie HuMwr Company's catalogue, and allowed for the woimnjr if the tyres in the testinp of the complete ear. These Allowance values were based on miinilo calculations, and, in view of tho keen comnctition, were vital to the. company. The .Australian Customs had nothing to do with tho fi-rurtw; the"* were tho samo for all parts of the world.