"WET LUGGAGE."

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 291, 6 December 1920, Page 4

"WET LUGGAGE."

FOR "DRY" CALIFORNIA. SEIZURE ON THE MARAMA. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. About midnight the Harbour Board's chief custodian (Mr. Mason), who is I alao a special constable, observed a I motor car laden with what appeared to I be luggage onteT Queen's wharf gates and ■ proceed to the Marama. Mr. Mason and lone of his assistants went to investigate. The steward of the vessel told Mr. Mason that some suit caees were luggage. Mr. I Mason went down to the stewards' quarters and 'found two men employed on the vessel unpacking bottles of whisky from half a do7,en suit cases, and stowing the liquor in lockers. The men I produced a receipt (wliich wae evidently j bona fide) from a wine and spirit firm , for payment for the whisky. Altogether 240 bottles, which were seized, were found in the stewards' quarters. The Marama is to sail foT Kan Francisco tomorrow, bo that the liquor would have been taken to a Californian port. The motor car was making a second vist <to the Marama when the custodian became aware of its mission. Under the prohib!'tion laws of the United States any attempt to get liquor ashore there may render the master of the resel in which it is brought liable to a heavy penalty.