Fabulous Wealth Brought From China

Chronicle (Levin), 30 January 1947, Page 8

Fabulous Wealth Brought From China

Press Assn.

By Telegraph

,-Copyright

SYDNEY, Jan. 29. Customs officials wlio hoarded the Chinese steamer HvValien 011 her arrival vesterday, are making the biggesr seareh for contraband in Sydney's history. It is rnainly for counterfeit English £5 and £10 notes thought to liave been made in Germany for the invasion of Britain. The officers suspended the seareh iast niglit, and eontinued it this morning, but so far liave found neither gold nor counterfeit money. The vessel brought 459 passengers from the Far East, iiieluding 309 refugees, mostly Jewish. About 200 passengers, some of vrhom are going to Melboume, remained 011 board last night. Some Sydney passengers stayed to guanl their heavy baggage, \\;hicli The Customs officers will examine today. . Xotification that German invasion currency was circulating in Shanghai and that some of the Hwalien's passengers were carrying gold bullion vvas given by otticiaL sources in the iar East. The ovner's representative, Captam If. \\\ Eell, said that at Jeast £100 wortli of counterfeit Bank of England Holes liad been detected wlien the passengers offered tlieir passage money iu Shanghai. Some of the passengers hud brought gold bars aboard. Government counterfeit experts and Commonweallh Investigation Departnient otlicers are lielping the Customs men in the seareh. A ropresenl a1 ive of the Australian .Te-.visli Welfare Society, who joined the shij) at Cairns, said that 170 refugees would leave for Melbourne by train today, and some of^the others would go lo I'erl h and Quoensland. 'Ohere were some eomplaints about conditions and food, but most of the passengers said they had been prepared for some hardships in order 10 reach Australia. "Some of the people aboard expect loo niufh of this country," said the sliip's niaster, Captain Barling, ' ' but remember, tliey liave been driven hard. "Wlien tliey got to Darwin they all

j— — WM— — — — 1 mmm ■— mmm — — M— — * wapted to ldss the very sofi of the Australian mainland. "