DEALING IN STAMPS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2074, 8 May 1907, Page 1

DEALING IN STAMPS.

AN INTERESTING CASE. Press Association. DUNEDIN, last night; This morn itis ho fore Mr. M i'Ulowson, S.M., William Lawrence Hooper was charged with unlawfully dealing in stamps without being duly licensed under ‘’The Stamps Act, 1882,’ to deal in such. The stamps in question are the official stamps now used by Government departments instead of the old franking system. Mr. Fraser appeared for the police and Mr. White defpnJptL « plea of not guilty being entered. ■ These are the facts as submitted by Mr. Fraser: For some tipie detectives have been op the look-out for certain stamps which have been stolen from the General Post-Office, Wellington. In the course ol investigations Chief Detective Herbert visited defendant’s place of business. He had some talk about stamps in general with defendant, and the latter produced bis stamp book. When the leaves were being flitted over the chief detective noticed a couple of sheets of unused official stamps. He said nothing at the moment, hut later said casually, “Turn fo official stamps.” Defendant said: “1 did not intend volt should have seen those stamps. • We will not soy anything about them. They ai'e not supposed to be sold.” The detective took possession of the stamps. Defendant said that he had legal advice that he was not prevented from having these stamps in his possession, and that ho did not purchase them from a Government servant, and further, that the vendor was no more liable than was he. lie added that the vendor was a sort of scmi-Gov-eriimcnt official. Later defendant wrote to the Chief Detective demaiiding the return of the stamps, stating that he would be held liable should the defendant miss a market. The real question to be decided was v.'hcther defendant was a dealer. The letter to the Chief Detective, counsal submitted, proved this point. Defondant wrote that his property had been illegally seized, and that ho would hold the seiner liable should

ho miss a market. This showed an intention of sale, and therefore defendant was a dealer. It was necessary to prove a sale in fact. Chief Detective Herbert gave evidence in tlio direction opened by Mr. Eraser. Air. AVliite contended that if there had been anything in a Gazette notice providing that the purchaser of those official stamps unused must get them in his possession dishonestly, a charge to that effect could have been brought. In the present case the fact was that the Department was in a quandary. It saw that it could not proceed under a Gazette notice and so took this indirect method of “Dealing without a licenaft.” He submitted that “Dealing” under the Stamp Act could not mean “Buying with intention of selling.” Dealing was not complete until a sale took place. .In order to constitute dealing there must he proved an overt act of sale. As regards the letter upon which the prosecution relied, he submitted that no conviction could bo recorded, because that letter merely evinced intention to soli, and the .Magistrate could not in a ease like this convict on tlio presumption that “denliug” meant buying and'selling goods as a commodity. All tilestamp dealers in Great Britain and France wore in the same position as Air. Hooper— not one held a license. The Alagistrato reserved his decision. • The supplementary roll of the Kumara borough, which.only contains ono name, has just been printed. This is considered to be a record. ' When Baby Burns his Hand AYheii sister cats her finger. AYJicn brother gets a bruise. In short, when anything happens to the children which causes them pain ,it is mother’s delight to comfort and relieve the little sufferers. She can always do this when she has Dr. Sheldon’s Alagnetic Liniment in the house. Rubbing a little of it over a sore or wound immediately takes away all pain, and vastly hastens recovery, Keep a bottle in the house always, and you will agree with a thousand other mothers who have said that tliev could not keep house without it. . For sale by A. AV. J. Alann, agent, chemist. The Nursing Mother Who uses Dr. Sheldon’s Digestive Tabules not only keeps her own stomach perfectly regulated, hut imparts the glow of health to the cheek of her babe. Dr. Sheldon’s Digestive Tabules are mild but InfaUible. For sale by A. AA r . J. Mann, agent, chemist.