OPIUM IMPORTATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1947, 1 December 1906, Page 4

OPIUM IMPORTATION.

CHARGE AGAINST AN AUCKLAND CHEMIdT. PUBSS ASSOCIATION Arnkimu, last night. Before Mr It. W. Dyer, 8.M., in the Police Court, Walter iiowo Dawson, through his counsel, Mr J. C. Martin, pleaded not guilty to four informations, charging him with unlawfully importing about eleven pounds oi opium, and further that on August hist he was knowingly concerned in a fraudulent attempt to evade the Customs duties in respect to about eleven pounds of opium; further, that he did, in a matter relating to tho Customs, and tho amount of Customs duties payable upon eleven pounds of opium, make and subscribe a false dcclara* tion ; and lastly, that on or about August blst he unlawfully imported eleven pounds of opium in a form suitable for smolung. Thomas Hopper, Hustwiek. Inspector of Explosives and Customs analyst at Wellington, said that in Ccptcmbor last he analysed a sample of opium compound sent by the authorities in Auckland. It was labelled “ Pill mass bismuth et opii,” He found it to ho extract of opium, with just a very small proportion of some foreign matter in it. As ho found it the opium was in a form suitabio for smoking, and was in a form in which Chinese usually used it for that purpose. He had read Mr Dawson’s explanation as follows : 11 1 imported tnis opium (com" pound) made up to my own private formula, and have some special ingredients besides to add to it here, and then make it into pilis for a cure lor indigestion and stomach troubles, The material, I claim, as imported, is in the proportion of bibs of opium, i-Mbs of bismuth, and IMb of teroxaeum, lllbs in all.” Witness could not accept this explanation as being correct, nor as to the use lie intended to put it to.

Examined by Mr'Martin, witness said the threo ingredients in the oompound were used for stomach troubles, and the digestive organs generally, As to tho use of the compound, he could not accept it, because of tho proportion of extract of opium, which was abnormally largo. The compound would not be generally called “ druggists’ sundries ” for duty purposes.

Tiie further heaving of the ease was adjourned until next Monday week,