LIQUOR FOR AMERICA

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1921, Page 4

LIQUOR FOR AMERICA

smcucrkd from afstralia. SYDNEY, Juno Lib. Thom is evidence that Ini jo' quantiiits of liquor—mostly whisky and wine am being shipped in Sydney on boats hound for American |><>rts, and is afterwards smuggled into the L nited States. It is known that; since Prohibition came into operation in America, smuggling lias developed on a tremendous .scale, illicit liquor is being poured into the. Republic from all directions, It is taken - across the border from Canada; there is now an enormous traffic on the Mexican border; there is a complete smuggling organisation in the West Indies .and nil sorts of craft put the forbidden stud ashore on the Atlantic coast; while every sailor man on every ship iliat touches an American Pacific port is eager to make an “honest” dollar or two by carrying liquor ashore. Tt is said here tha.t the smuggling organisations of the United States are now hacked by millions of dollars.

The police and Customs officials have been at work for some time in Sydney watching American steamers, and they are satisfied that a large business is being done hv American agents locally in whisky and other spirits, and, also, to a lesser extent, in beer and stout. But there is no law to prevent anyone placing a cargo of wines and spirits on a. steamer here and when it leaves this port nothing can bo done by local officials. There is no doubt that the big shipments that- have been noted in this port- are part of the big smuggling organisation. The liquor appears to reach the American ;>eople. and it is suspected that, "graft” plays a big part in its transportation.

The business of loading the goods or. to steamers bore is. not advertised. There is evidence that it generally finds it sway to the wharves and on to the steamers between midnight and day light. About 1 a.m. on Saturday last a young constable noticed taxis coming up to a certain wharf gate on Circular Quay, and sacks of something being unloaded. He investigated and found. they were sacks of bottles of whisky. He did not quite know what his powers were; but as they were obviously destined for an American steam or be toolc a. chance and ordered the lot to the nearest police station. There they are to-day while an argument, in which choice American curses are prominent, rages around them.