PURCHASE OF GOLD

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1932, Page 5

PURCHASE OF GOLD

A DUNEDIN DECISION

MAGISTRATES DISAGREE

DUNEDIN, August 26

Mr H. W. Bundle, 8.M., gave judgment to-day in a case in which Cyril Benjamin, a gold and other metals’ buyer, was charged with a breach of the Second-handi Dealers Ac{ in purchasing goods after 6p.m. The defence raised was that, though Benjamin was the holder of a second-hand dealer’s license, there was no necessity for him to he a second-hand dealer ;and that purchasing second-hand gold articles did not constitute him such a dealer.

The Magistrate held: (1) That it was not for the Court to question the license which was issued on defendant’s application; (2) that the articles bought by defendant.were bought for the gold contained, and the reduction of gold by melting was in no sense manufacture of another article, so that defendant did not come within the concluding exemption, “any person who purchases such articles for the purpose of manufacturing other articles therefrom.” Defendant was convicted and fined 20s. Security of appeal was fixed. Mr Bundle’s judgment disagrees with that of Air Salmon given at Wanganui.