THE GOLD SMUGGLERS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3424, 2 March 1920, Page 5

THE GOLD SMUGGLERS.

DISCOVERIES IN S,YDNE-Y A careful examination of oflieial rcturns show that gold continues to trickle :Iwa.y from this country, and lms been doing so for a long time. This is a very serious in-atter, and in the past year or two the Customs officials have redoubled their vigilance. Persons leaving for other countries are liable to be subjected to a close and somewhat humiliating search. The tenclemsy of the Asiatic to smuggle gold away is well known, and Chinese leaving for the East are generally watched e:.l.refully, but the scrutiny has now been exten-ded to cover certain Europeans. ‘

The departing traveller may notvtake away more than £4O in gold, and it would seem that those preparing for departure are kept under some sort OE supervision, because only an in;liv.':lull here and there is selected for sea-_-eh when a. steamer is about. to leave, -and he generally is found “With the g.OodS_.~: When the Japanese -liner Tango Mnru was; about to leave Sycyiey last Friday twoa men were searched. The first one did not take to it kindly. Every hug nnd trunk was opened and inspected. Sovereigns were extracted from the gen.tlema;n’s collar-box, from inside hi“ slippers, from secret pockets in his clothes, 'even from the bottom of a well-filled cigar box. A couple of boxes of sweets were opened, and each sweet unrolled from its paper in the search for coins. The officials even dug into a tin of boot polish, while the helpless owner looked on and fumed. The search was 9. highly successful one. About 150 sovereig-ns were taken from a variety of hiding places and formally taken possession of. They will form the subject of legal proceedings, and will probably disappea ly in fines. Anoiher man on th steamer similarly “lost” 9. larg in gold. He had. not sought to h however. and the Customs m-en him completely by surprise.