AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEIZURE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12896, 30 August 1907, Page 7

AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEIZURE.

It was not until Wednesday morninn: that everything was in train for the expected coup (says the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" , ). The Secretary of the Stores Department was accompanied to the wharf where the interesting rolls of wire lay by Mr Curtis, representing the Crown Law Office. The aid of the Police Department-had been invoked by the Premier, a sub-inspector, and two constables in uniform accompanying these two gentlemen to the spot. The five arrived at the wharf at about a quarter to 1 isi the afternoon. A number of carts belonging to a city firm of carriers had beon secured to perform the alleged transportation part of the business. The Customs officers at tho wharf attempted to prevent the netting being romoved, out the police intervened, and under protest, tho Customs representatives allowed the carters to load their vehicles and take the wire netting away to the Government shed near by. The Customs officers at once communicated with the Sydney office some account of what was happening, and as the neww spread in official circles and among the snipping peepTe interested, the excitement became very great. The holders of the wharf endeavoured to get tho carters to desist, but the police officers again prevented the work of removing tho wire being interfered with Even a threat that the license of the firm of carriers engaged doing the work would bo cancelled by tho Customs authorities had nr> effect. At first it seemed to have been thought by some of the higher Customs officials that their officers on duty should havo gone to the length of forcibly preventing tho police from allowing tho disputed goods to be cat-fed away. As is usual with members of tho constabulary, the officers present were armed with revolvers, which weapons Customs officers jdo not generally carry, so that the latter might have thought themselves ,at an undue disadvantage, which put the question 'of .aaeortinst thcmseiv**. in the physical sense out of the question. Furthermore, although thero were never more than a mere handful of police on the scene together, it was well known that there were reinforcements ready at hand in case they were wanted. , Although there were never really 60 policemen at the wharf, a large number were despatched after the Customs employees arrived in great numerical strength, fcufc they were sent for too late to be of any real service, and they wore stopped before they got there.

At half-past four vesterdya afternoon (says the Sydney 'THorning Herald"), a certain mild surprise took possession of the Custom House staff, when the general order "went forth that no officer waa"jto leave the building. Tin's surprise deepened as Mt Baxter, Collector of Customs, led his small army of between 60 and 70 across the Quay, and crowded it into a tram. Half the men were quite ignorant of tho reason of this astounding departure from routine, others had a dim idea that it was a joko, a few struggled with some dim notion that they were to do stevedore duty, and all wondered whether thb special duty would run to tea money. The army left the fcramcars, at Market , street, and marched in a straggling lino.to Darling Island, past the grimy bridge and the silent lino of grain elevators, toithe scone of operations. Tho wire netting was being loaded upon d'taye, with the protection of a oouplo of policemen, and, under tho leadership of the Collector, the invaders festooned themselves about the horses and carts, argued with the majesty of the law, and stood on tho netting, quite effectually putting an end to the loading operations. The policemen, outnumbered, shrugged their ehoulders, and gave up tho situation, while the triumphant clerks stood gracefully upon the caaus belli, and discussed the trouble, feeling like heroes. As a revolt, the thing was a flat failure; it was far too jocular. Revolt should skulk in corner with a gleaming knife, and other melodramatic properties. Conspirators and destroyers of their country cannot bo taken seriously if they hire carte and grimy men to import comic relief into the proceedings, nor can tho protest of tho Federal Government bo regarded as a dignified rebuke, when it is made by three or four score of etraw-hatted young men, who will not k«*ep the grin from their faces. The whole demonstration was rather ""puerile.