FINED £100.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 62, 31 July 1912, Page 7

FINED £IOO.

ATTEMPT TO EVADE CUSTOMS DUTY. J CHARGE AGAINST A SYRIAN. By Telegraph—Prese Association. j Auckland, Monday. "A deliberately-thought-out fraud on J ' the Customs," was how Mr Selwyn Mays i ! described the offence of Abraham Wolf- | I eon, a young Syrian, who was charged at I the Poiicc Court this morning with being j knowingly concerned in an attempt to evade Customs duty. The circumstances narrated by Mr. Mays were that on Tuesday last Wo'.fson imported from Sydney a consignment of fountain pens, fancy goods, etc., and declared that he had no invoice showing any higher value than £O6. The . landing waiter was not satisfied, and eventually got from Wellington a bank j draft for goods which amounted to £124 6s (id. and a letter from the consignors (Wolfson Bros.), stating that an invoice showing the amount of the draft was «ent. That invoice was not produced, and defendant stated he never got it. 'Counsel suggested that it had been deliberately destroyed. The invoice pro- ' duced by defendant in tu« first instance showed the goods deliberately put down about 50 per cent, in value. In one instance fountain pens were put down at 28s a gross, in lieu of 28s u dozen. In the last resort the Customs examination officer had the goods opened and valued. The valuation made the goods worth £IGA, and there was in the consignment several bottles of eau dc cologne, brilliantine, bay rum, and a lime juice glycerine mixture which had not been included in the invoice. The Department, on account of the delay of taking ' the matter to the Supreme Court, had decided not to ask for a line of three times the value of the goods (which would amount to £480), but counsel asked that the full fine indictable under the section of the Act under which the present information was laid ( £1(10) be imposed. lie added that the Depart- ', inent frequently had considerable trouble with the Svrian traders.

Mr. Moore, for the defendant (who pleaded "Guilty"), slated that Wolfson had just turned 21 years of age. and was inexperienced in matters of the kind. He had recently visited his brother in Sydney, ami arranged for goods that would sell to be shipped to him. The goods were, not speeilied. and consequently defendant did not know exactly what was sent to him. lie had incurred a debt. o[ £,"><) to his brother on tie trip, and took it that that amount was included in the draft on his bank account, lie consequently thought the invoice for £74. with the £SO added, represented the draft. Counsel could only plead careless negligence in extenuation. Defendant, however, denied that he had destroyed anv invoice. 11 is Worship: Will the goods be forfeited? Mr. Mm-: Ye«. Mr. Ciitten. K.M.. said that there was -ill) exleini iiin" ciiviin;-taucc in i lie ea-c. except. I hat it was a -lirsf off. Ik -. That hail been iue|. hv the Minister not ehrin- »»!«_.- ihive liie..---' tiie value „f II:,, -kmK Defendant would be convicted and lined £101). Mr. Mavs asked (hat defendant be detained till the money was paid, and Mr. Moore intimated that payment would be made almost immediately.