AN EXCISE PROSECUTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1919, Page 5

AN EXCISE PROSECUTION.

DETAILS OP SHARLAND'S CASS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Details of the recent excise prosecU' tion, in whieTi a heavy penalty was imposed upon a wholesale firm, have just been officially made public. The following statement of the f arts has been supplied by the Crown Solicitor: "Sharland and Co. Ltd. are holders of a license under the Distillation Act to use a still for the manufacture of spirits of ammonia. Contemporaneously with the granting of the license, a bond was entered into with sureties by the company in the sum of £SOO, payable if the stflf were used for any Other purpose than that specified in the license. It was discovered that, in breach of the license, the still had been used for distilling pure spirit from tincture of arnica. When the matter was brought to the notice of the company they expressed the greatest surprise, as such a misuse of thi* qtill was absolutely unknown to them, Qa enquiry, however, the company's local manager ascertained from their factory manager th»t the htter had used thg still as alleged, but csnlnined that his action was quite innocent as he had never read the conditions of the license, and was, therefore, ignorant of the restricted use of the fltill. Tinder the provisions of the Distillation Act, duty became payable upon the quantity ( of , spirits so distilled, and the Crbwri Solicitor was instructed by the Customs Department, under direction of the Minister of Customs, to take proceedings against the company, not only for the recovery of the ful) penalty of £SOO under the bond, but also for unpaid duty amounting to £9OO on the quantity of spirit distilled in contravention of the license. Proceedings were accordingly taken in the Supreme Court, and the company quite frankly admitted the breach of the license and of the Act. and -at once paid the amount claimed with costs. It, hpwever, disclaimed absolutely any. knowledge or suspicion whatever of the, course of procedure of Us fectory manager, whose explanation <>f innocent contravention of the is, accepted, and he acknowledged his. deep sense of regret. At the same timft, the company ' realised the grave position m which it had been placed by the action of one of its servants, and, in order that relations;of confidence existing between the Customs Department and an old-established and reputable company should not suffer "any compromise, it was deemed desirable that he should sever his connection with the company, which he has done.