RUM RUNNING

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1933, Page 8

RUM RUNNING

IANGLO-FINNISH TREATY SIGNED

PACT TO PREVENT SMUGGLING

(British Offic'ul Wireless.)

RUGBY, October 13

An Anglo-Finnish liquor smuggling convention, which follows the general lines of a similar convention concluded in 1824 with the United States, was signed tins afternoon at the Foreign Office. The import of alcoholic liquors into Finland is subject to Government control and monopoly, and during the past seven to eight years smuggling has been taking place on an extensive scale. Finland concluded with her Baltic neighbours a liquor-smuggl'ng convention in 1925, and a number of other countries have assented to seizure, outside the territorial water of liquor smuggling ships flying their flags. The League of Nations Council has recom-. mended States to assist Finland in her difficulty over smuggling. There is abundant evidence that immunity from seizure outs'de of tlie territorial waters enjoyed by (vesselsi flying the British flog Is resulting in a number of liquor smugglers of foreign nationality bong enabled to engage in the traffic on a. large and increasing scale in ships registered in the United Kingdom. According to the Finnish authorities, fifteen of them are at present actually engaged. The Finnish opinion became much exerr/sed at fhe continuance of this traffic by international adventurers under the protection of the British flag, and the recent blowing up of oup of the Punish coastguard patrol boats has given rise to grave indignation. Under the new Convention, the Punish Government vessels will be entitled to stop and, if necessary, arrest the vessels flying the Bit’tish flag, which were suspected of smuggling liquor into Finland.