THE CUSTOM-HOUSE " BITER BIT." (From the Atlas.)

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 313, 30 May 1849, Page 3

THE CUSTOM-HOUSE " BITER BIT." (From the Atlas.)

Then says Roger before you do go, I'll just get you to see rue permit. " The Exciseman."— Old Song 1 . Some amusement lias been created in commercial circles during the past week, by the discovery ofa blunder committed by the Custom-house officials, such as, we must say, for the business reputation of these gentlemen, does not often occur. Most of our readers are, no doubt, aware that in order to prevent parties importing goods at a fictitous value for the purpose of avoiding payment of the proper duties, the Custom-house authorities are empowered to purchase any goods entered at the price offered on them by the importer, with an additional ten per cent., which is allowed as a margin, in his favour. Accordingly every now and then, soma very advantageous purchases are made ia this way ; goods entered at a very low value realising a handsome profit for the Exchequer when sold at the Custom-house sales. The " Preventive men" in Thames Street, are in general very good judges of'ieal values/and those who can occasionally cheat them are almost entitled to the profits on their roguery for their skill. There are j only a few cases of the kind on record, and they are well remembered by " her Majesty's customs," though we Ihink the last one the best, and that it will keep the longest. Of these cases one is— that a large quantity of gloves having teen entered at a price obviously much below their value, they were seized anddulypaid for bj the authoiities; but on being put to sale it was diacoveied that they were all rig/it hand gloves, and were; bought at a very low figure by parties who were strongly suspected of having obtained the fellows wi hout paying duty at all ! At another time a vast quantify of pit's were entered in the Customs' books at a price so mu'h below the charge made for them \>y the quaeUs who deal in such rubish, that they were at once seized and pa.d for like tlie gloves. The Customs, however, '• have no skill ia surgery," and the pills were taken (into the warehouse) | with no be.tcr result tban in the fo mer case, for it was soon discovered th<tt al hough the pi Is were sold at " two and ninepence" the box, their intrinsic value was only a few pence ; and it was with extreme difficulty that they were sold even ut this price; for veiy lew of ihe | eisons who at ended the sale were inclined to luke some hundred weight of pills, even although they might be a specific for all earthly disorders. This case of the pills is quoted as "an authority" in Custom-house ciiclei. In the present instance the facts lire said to be 08 follows ;— -Seven hundred watchts, apparently of supe« rior manufacture, and in gold cases, were entered aa wonh i?7tO only, while they were va'ued at the Cuitom house ai worth at least three times the amount. The im, oners were accordingly informed that the watcheg would be taken at £700 by the Government, and the amount was duly paid, with the ten per cent, addition allowed as already mentioned. They were brought to eah in due course, aud have realised seventy pounds, the woik* being of very inferior mauufactuie, and the cases (jilt. The Custom bouse is therefore manus something more than seven bund ed pounds, and the importers have m>ide a good th \\% of the transaction. Mural— for Customs and Excisttnen / Do not be in too great a huriy 10 se ze goods which may to Cus-tom-house c)es appear Lttt'i tlia.ll (hey ate: tor if you do, like your namesake in thesong, who carried the keg of spirits for the countryman, you may have a vast deal 0 trouble and very little piofit foi your labour.