F. W. Myers Co. v. United States

30 Cust. Ct. 536, 1953 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 452
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedApril 15, 1953
DocketReap. Dec. 8209; Entry Nos. A-6372, A-6495, and A-6630
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 30 Cust. Ct. 536 (F. W. Myers Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
F. W. Myers Co. v. United States, 30 Cust. Ct. 536, 1953 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 452 (cusc 1953).

Opinion

Ekwall, Judge:

This case involves three appeals for reappraisement of canned pumpkin imported from Canada during May 1945. The merchandise was invoiced at $1 (United States currency) per dozen cans, entered at $1.05 (Canadian currency) per dozen cans, plus 8 per centum Canadian sales tax, and appraised on the basis of foreign value at $1.30 (Canadian currency) per dozen cans, less 2K per centum cash discount, less one-fourth of 1 per centum for leaks and swells, plus 8 per centum Canadian sales tax. Plaintiff claims that there is no foreign value on the ground that the Canadian market is controlled; that the merchandise is properly dutiable on the basis of export value; and that the invoice price represents the export value.

This case was originally heard before Judge Cline, sitting in re-appraisement, and it was held on the record presented that the foreign value was the proper basis for the determination of the value of the imported merchandise. The appraised value was, therefore, affirmed. F. W. Myers Company, Inc. (F. H. Leggett & Co.) v. United States, 22 Cust. Ct. 368, Reap. Dec. 7646. A motion for rehearing made b.y the importer was denied. Same v. Same, 22 Cust. Ct. 410, Reap. Dec. 7670.

An application for review was filed by the importer and the appellate division modified the decision of the trial judge to the extent that it found the dutiable foreign value to be the appraised value, less the Canadian sales tax of 8 per centum, which the Government conceded had no application. F. W. Myers Company, Inc. (F. H. Leggett & Co.) v. United States, 27 Cust. Ct. 473, Reap. Dec. 8062. Thereafter, upon motion of the importer, an order was granted remanding the case to the trial court for the purpose of introducing further proof. Same v. Same, 28 Cust. Ct. 546, Reap. Dec. 8082. Said order was subsequently vacated on the court’s own motion and the importer’s motion for a rehearing was set down for argument. Same v. Same, [538]*53828 Cust. Ct. 556, Reap. Dec. 8088. After argument, during which, a stipulation (hereinafter set forth) was entered into by counsel, an order was issued vacating the judgment of the appellate division, ordering the judgment of the trial court reversed, and remanding the case for a new trial. Same v. Same, 28 Cust. Ct. 666, Reap. Dec. 8120.

• When the case again came before the trial court'(Ekwall, J. sitting in place of Cline, J'.), it was submitted on the record, including the aforementioned stipulation, without the introduction of further evidence.

The facts in this case as presented at the original hearing are as follows: Insofar as the foreign market is concerned, it appears from an affidavit of Harry Grimson, canned food sales manager of Canada Packers, Ltd. (the exporter), dated November 28, 1947, that during April, May, and June 1945, his firm offered and sold such or similar canned pumpkin to wholesalers in Canada in any quantities at a price of $1.05 a dozen cans, less certain discounts, plus sales tax, which price was the ceiling price allowed by the Wartime Prices and Trade Board of Canada on sales by canners to wholesalers. Mr. Grimson stated also that sales were made by his firm to retailers in any quantities at a price of $1.30 a dozen cans, including tax, which price was the ceiling price allowed by the said Board on sales by wholesalers to retailers.

A report of Treasury Representative F. H. Bunting, dated November 30, 1945, quotes a letter from H. H. Ayer, general traffic manager of Canada Packers, Ltd., wherein it is stated that said firm freely offered canned pumpkin in carload quantities to anyone in Canada at a price of $1.05 a dozen cans, but no sales in that quantity were made. Sales in quantities of from one to five cases were made to small retail butchers at $1.30 a dozen cans. Mr. Bunting’s report states further that said firm was not willing to furnish copies of its sales in 1945 for domestic consumption but that he had been advised that the greatest number of sales in 1945 was to Canadian dealers at $1.30 per dozen cans.

. Upon these facts, the trial court stated (F. W. Myers Company, Inc. (F. H. Leggett & Co.) v. United States; 22 Cust. Ct. 368, 371, Reap. Dec. 7646):

It is impossible to tell from this evidence whether sales or offers to sell were made to all wholesalers at a price of $1.05 a dozen, the claimed ceiling price, or whether such price was offered only to those who would buy in carload lots. While it is stated that the merchandise was offered to wholesalers at $1.05 a dozen amd to retailers at $1.30 a dozen, it is not clear that all purchasers could not have bought at $1.30 a dozen. The only actual sales in Canada mentioned in either the affidavit or the report were at $1.30 a dozen, and there is a statement in the report that the greatest number of sales was at $1.30. * * * [Italics quoted.]

The vacated decision of the appellate division (Reap. Dec. 8062) agreed with the trial court’s conclusion that on the record presented it was not clear that all purchasers could not have bought’ at $1.30 a [539]*539dozen. The appraiser’s finding of foreign Value on that basis was, therefore, affirmed.

On the argument of the motion for rehearing before the appellate division, counsel for the Government stated:

Mb. Atjsteb: I am willing to stipulate for the purpose of this case that Mr. H. H. Ayer, General Traffic Manager, of the Canada Packers Limited, informed a Customs Agent on March 5, 1952, this month, that the prices of $1.05 per dozen tins, plus 8 per cent sales tax to wholesalers, and $1.30 per dozen tins, including 8 per cent sales tax to retailers, were maximum prices fixed by the Wartime Price and Trade Board and these maximum prices were not fixed by or controlled by Canada Packers Limited. For the court’s information, I had a further investigation conducted to ascertain the facts. I have just read part of that report which just arrived only on March 12th. I am willing to stipulate that as facts in this case, if counsel will agree to it.
Mb. Rode: I certainly will agree to it. * * *

In view of this stipulation, it must be accepted as facts in the case that the price of $1.05 per dozen tins, plus tax, was the maximum price to wholesalers, and the price of $1.30 per dozen tins, including tax, was the maximum price to retailers, and that said prices were fixed by the Canadian Wartime Prices and Trade Board. It is evident, therefore, that all purchasers could not buy at $1.30 per dozen cans, since the maximum price to wholesalers was fixed at $1.05 per dozen cans. On the other hand, the price to retailers was fixed at $1.30 per dozen cans, and there is no evidence of offers or sales to them at any other price. There is nothing to indicate that the prices fixed by the Board depended in any way upon the quantity purchased.

The mere fixing of prices by the Canadian Wartime Prices and Trade Board would not prevent the finding of foreign value. United States v. Michele Diagonale, 22 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 517, T. D. 47497; United States v. Graham & Zenger, Inc., 31 C. C. P. A. (Customs) 131, C. A. D. 262. However, it is now clear that the Board fixed two different prices for the same merchandise, depending upon the class of purchaser and not the quantity purchased. There was no price at which all purchasers could buy.

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Related

United States v. F. W. Myers Co.
33 Cust. Ct. 578 (U.S. Customs Court, 1954)
United States v. Empire Distributors
33 Cust. Ct. 568 (U.S. Customs Court, 1954)

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Bluebook (online)
30 Cust. Ct. 536, 1953 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 452, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/f-w-myers-co-v-united-states-cusc-1953.