PASSING THE CUSTOMS.

Shannon News, 19 March 1929, Page 1

PASSING THE CUSTOMS.

AN AMUSING INCIDENT, TURNING THE TABLES.

It is amazing that so many people are prepared to defraud a Government by evading Customs duty, states a -Sydney exchange. These same people would never dream of committing any other fraud, but for some reason .they refuse, to regard as': the serious crime which, it certainly is. In this connection an amusing incident has eome 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 type-writer, and the laec had been crammed into the case. 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. Later he directed that the typewriter should.be delivered to his chambers. On receiving it he eargerly opened it, anxious to examine its valuable eon-, tents. Imagine his shock when he discovered that the lace had been removed, and iu the place -of the almost new typewriter there was ah old worn-out one. The -changes had been rung on him with a vengeance, and, .of-course, he was unable to create any fuss. It is believed that the theft took, place, m'. the wharf shed. It is the, rule of the Customs •Depart<mnt in Avtstra'lia: to station- a watchman at the gangway of all boats from the East. They carefully search members of 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 overheard the members , of his speaking of a quantity, of opium that was eonco'alcd 'in ■ jars which should have contained preserved ginger. The .boat called at Brisbane, 'but' an • opportunity to land the opium •- was not presented, and it was taken on to Sydney. On arrival at-Sydney the mate.proceeded to the ■city," and* purchased-many .jars of gingCr —jars identical with those on board, containing opium. These took the place of the jars of opium, and the opium was smuggled ashore. The Customs officer on 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 .of the genuineness of the claim that the mate had no difficulty in getting past the landing officer. So far so good, bm the Chinese did not take the matter very kindly, and when they discovered how they had been tricked they informed the Customs officials. It was the mate who had to answer the charge of smuggling. On one of the P. and O. 'steamer;. !hat arrived in s Sydney recently anion/' the saloon passengers were a .coup!who were extremely popular. _ The woman's jewellery was the admiratioof all oh board, and on arrival in Syd aey it was declared as personal pro pertv. and allowed to; be, taken ashore The couple soon after opened a smal shop in the city, and it was then die covered that they had the proceeds o. a Loudon robbery. They were arrestc. and sent back to London.