SMUGGLING

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1929, Page 7

SMUGGLING

SO.M E A-MUSING INCIDENTS

TUNNING THE TABLES

SYDNEY. February 7

It is a miming that so many people arc prepared to defraud a Government by evading Customs duty. These same people would never dream of committing any other fraud, hut for some reason they refuke to regard smuggling as the serious crime which it certainly is. In this connexion ail amusing incident has come to light. It is said that a prominent barrister conceived the idea of smuggling into the country many yards of valuable lace. Included in his luggage was a typewriter, and the lace had been into the ease. He assured the Customs authorities that he had nothing of a dutiable nature, and his luggage was franked in the usual way. Some of his luggage, including the typewriter, was left at the wharf shed pending instructions. La for he directed that the typewriter should he delivered to his chambers. On receiving it lie eagerly opened it, anxious to examine its valuable contents. Imagine bis shock when bo discovered that the lace had been removed, and in place of the almost now typewriter, there was an old “worn” out one. The changes bad been rung on him with a vengeance, and, of course, lie was unable to create any fuss. It is believed that the therct took place in the wharf shed.

It is the rule of the Customs Department in Australia to station a Watchman at the gangway of all boats from the East. They carefully search members off the crews when going ashore on leave. One afternoon six or seven members of a Chinese crew ran down the gangway pelting each other with dead rats. No one enjoyed the fun better than the officer on watch, and when one of the rats fell near him he had a shot at one of the Chinese. The game continued until the wharf was left behind. Then one of the Chinese collected all the rats. They were stuffed with opium. Smuggling charges followed.

A mate on a China boat overhead the members of bis crew speaking of a. quantity ol opium that was concealed in jars which should have contained preserved ginger. The boat called at Brisbane, hut an opportunity to land the opium was not presented, and it was brought on to Sydney. On arrival at Sydney the mate proceeded to the city, and purchased many jars of ginger—jars identical with those on board containing opium. These took the place off the jars of opium, and the opium was smuggled ashore. 1 lie Customs officer oil duty was informed that the cases contained ginger, imported for a friend for the Christmas trade. Two cases were open for inspection, and from each the officer received a jar of ginger as a Christmas present. He was so convinced off - the genuineness of the claim, that the male nad no difficulty in getting pasi. the landing officer. So far so good, but the Chinese did not take the matter -cry kindly, and when they discovers.. how they lmd been tricked they m-l’,n-med the Customs officials. It was 1.|,0 mate who had to answer the charge of smuggling. On one ol Ihe < . and 0. stoamcis that arrived in Sydney recently among the saloon passengers were a couple who were extremely popular. Ihe woman’s jewellery w:ls t ' lc admiration of all on board, and on arrival in Sydney it was declared as personal property and allowed to be taken ashore. The couple soon aftei opened a small shop in the city, and d was then discovered that they had the nliveds off a London robbery. 'Miey were arrested and sent back to London.