Thrifty Equipment Co. v. United States

52 Cust. Ct. 431, 1964 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1419
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedFebruary 4, 1964
DocketReap. Dec. 10674; Entry No. 6020, etc.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 52 Cust. Ct. 431 (Thrifty Equipment 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
Thrifty Equipment Co. v. United States, 52 Cust. Ct. 431, 1964 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1419 (cusc 1964).

Opinion

Foim, Judge:

The appeals for reappraisement listed in schedule A,, annexed hereto and made a part hereof, consolidated for the purpose of trial, relate and are limited to the importation of certain track link assemblies, or track chains, for D-6, D-7, or D-8 tractors, exported from England during the period beginning 1955 through 1957. ■The merchandise was appraised upon the basis of foreign value of such-merchandise, as defined in section 402(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Administrative Act of 1938, 19 U.S.C.,. section 1402 (c), at the following values:

D-6 £135.0.0, less 20%
D-7 £190.0.0, less 20%
D-8 £255.0.0, less 20%

Plaintiffs herein do not dispute that the foreign value of such, merchandise is the proper statutory basis for appraisement, but contend that the following represent the proper dutiable values:

D-6 39 links_ £64.0.0
D-7 37 links_£125.0.0
D-8 39 links_£160.0.0

Plaintiffs also contend that if the linkage exceeds the standard as; set forth above, an additional pro rata charge would be made for each additional linkage as follows:

D-6_£3.0.0
D-7_£4.10.0
D-8_£6.10.0

Section 402(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, supra, reads; as follows:

(c) Tbe foreign value of imported merchandise shall be the market value or the price at the time of exportation of such merchandise to the United States, at which such or similar merchandise is freely offered for sale for home consumption to all purchasers in the principal markets of the country from which exported, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of trade. [433]*433including the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature, and all other costs, charges, and expenses incident to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States.

At the original hearing, nine appeals were consolidated for trial. Subsequently, on rehearing, one of the appeals was found to cover other merchandise outside of the period of importation involved herein and it was severed and suspended. An affidavit of Frederick Robert Readhead, sworn to before a Commissioner of Oaths, was received in evidence as plaintiffs’ exhibit 1, as well as an agent’s report, received as def endant’s exhibit A. Exhibit A, a Treasury representative’s report, states that the representative had interviewed Mr. Read-head and Mr. Locke. The report states, under the heading of foreign Value, that identical merchandise was freely offered for sale for home consumption in England, without restrictions of any kind. The report further states that the merchandise was sold in England as per pricelist attached to the report, the prices for the chain assemblies being effective since June 1953 and the balance of the items since May 1955. The representative stated that Mr. Locke advised him that this pricelist represented retail prices and that distributors were allowed a 20 per centum discount.

' The authenticity of plaintiffs’ exhibit 1 was questioned in the briefs originally filed and, thereafter, by order of Judge Scovel Richardson on December 29,1961, the case was restored for all purposes. Counsel for plaintiffs later moved to withdraw plaintiffs’ exhibit 1, which order, dated March 23,1962, was granted by Judge Richardson. The case was subsequently heard at New York on November 26, 1962, at, which time plaintiffs introduced the oral testimony of Frederick Robert Readhead, as well as a list or tabulation of sales received as exhibit 2.

Mr. Readhead testified that he is chairman and director of Read-heads’ Engineering and has been with the firm since 1903; that he was in charge of sales for home consumption in England during the period covering the importations involved herein; that the price, did not vary because of quantity in the sales for home consumption; that he had prepared for him a list of sales for home consumption for the period of 1955 through 1957, which was attached to his original affidavit; that he requested Mr. Locke, his secretary, to have the list of sales prepared from the books of the company kept in the regular course of business; that Mr. Locke prepared this list under his supervision. This list of sales is received as plaintiff’s exhibit 2.

The witness further testified that the standard linkage for the D-6 chain is 39 links, for the D-7 is 37 links, and for the D-8 chain is 39 links; that he could not recall how many track chains were sold for home consumption during this period nor to whom they were sold, [434]*434since his firm produced approximately 2,000 track chains a month. At this point, the case was continued for further hearing.

At the final hearing, counsel for plaintiffs introduced an affidavit •of William Locke, sworn to before the American consul on December 19,1962, which was received in evidence as plaintiffs’ exhibit 3. The affiant, Locke, stated that he is secretary of Deadheads (Salisbury) , Ltd.; that he is in charge of the office records of the company, kept in the regular course of business; that he is familiar with all sales made by the company either for home consumption or for export; that, during the years 1955 through 1957, Deadheads (Salisbury), Ltd., did not offer for sale for export to the United States tractor equipment or track chains to anyone other than The Thrifty Equipment Co. The affiant then stated that the standard track chain for the earlier D-6 tractor consisted of 39 links, but the later D-6 tractor required a chain of 40 links; that the standard track chain for the D-7 tractor consisted of 37 links; that the standard track chain for the D-8 consisted of 39 links; that his company, during the period 1955 through 1957, freely offered and sold for home consumption in England the same track chain as set forth in the schedule annexed to the affidavit, which schedule was compiled by him from the books kept in the regular course of business ,at the request of and under the supervision of Mr. Frederick B. Deadhead; that the schedule attached includes all sales of D-6, D-7, and D-8 track during the period in question. Affiant further stated that the price for home consumption did not vary because of quantity, and all sales were made without regard to any existing pricelist; that the prices charged were for standard track chain, and if less linkage was required, an allowance was made, or if additional linkage was required, an additional charge was made as follows:

D-6 track_£3.0.0. per link
D-7 “ £4.10.0 “ “
D-8 “ £6.10.0 “ “

Tlie Government then offered and there was received in evidence reports of Treasury representatives, defendant’s exhibit B, defendant’s collective exhibit C, defendant’s collective exhibit D, and defendant’s collective exhibit E.

Defendant’s exhibit B, after discussing the difficulties in arranging appointments with Deadheads Engineering, enclosed as exhibits copies of correspondence from Deadheads Engineering Works, as well as a list of sales of chain in the home market. This list of sales agrees in prices with exhibits 2 and 3.

Defendant’s collective exhibit C contains a summary of an interview with Mr. Deadhead and Mr.

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Related

Peacock Sales Co. v. United States
58 Cust. Ct. 757 (U.S. Customs Court, 1967)
Thrifty Equipment Co. v. United States
57 Cust. Ct. 843 (U.S. Customs Court, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
52 Cust. Ct. 431, 1964 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1419, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thrifty-equipment-co-v-united-states-cusc-1964.