LIQUOR IN THE KING COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12937, 17 October 1907, Page 9

LIQUOR IN THE KING COUNTRY.

I—. — ALLEGED ILLICIT TRADING BY STEAMERS. (■feciax. to "mi ntus.") WELLINGTON, October.l 6. In the courso of the diecueeion regarding packet licensee in the House this afternoon, Mr Hornsby said that it was a fact (which ought to hare been well known to the police), that for years a number of etearaere engaged in tho coastal trade had been doing what was known ne "running tho cutter" into tho King Country. Liquor was not permitted by law to be told th«re, but yet tho vessels trading on that coast had for years been running grog in by tho I>arrel, * On one occasion, ho eaid, a Customs officer who wae on ono of these Burners, was,, ■without his knowledge, sitting oh ft barrel of whisky which was covered with o tarpaulin and conversing with tho captain. Tho carrying in of this contraband trade naturally led to increased drinking. Pending the introduction of legislation there was no reason why the police- should not deal with this matter. It was well known to a number of people travelling on theeo steamers that en illicit trade was being carried on (Mr Poole: Hear, hear), and ho could not understand why the offenders had not been laid by the heels long ago."