NONE ON THE WANCANELU.

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 10

NONE ON THE WANCANELU.

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, June 23. There were lively scenes at the Central Wharf when the police carried out a search for silver on the Wanganella prior to the departure of the vessel for Sydney. It was the most impressive raid made by the police in Auckland for many years, the steamer being boarded by 26 uniformed constables, eight- detectives, and 14 Customs officials. The search was conducted on somewhat similar lines to that carried out on the same vessel at Wellington on June 8, when over £700 worth of silver was seized. Instead, however, of commencing the search, when the vessel was • scheduled to sail, namely, at 3 pan., the raiding party started operations, at 10. a.m. By 12.30 p.m. the ship.had been minutely , combed from., stem to stern, but at 3 o'clock, when she pulled out from the wharf, not a solitary piece of silver had been discovered. . In the hour preceding -the. vessel. departure every passenger was carefully scrutinised by Customs officers and detectives, who mingled in the throng, and two police officers in uniform who stood at the gangway. Several passengers who were staggering under the weight 'of heavy portmanteaus were asked to display the contents of their luggage, and Customs officials occasionally picked up bags and parcels to test their weight. Two police matrons stood near the gangway in readiness to search women passengers should suspicions be aroused. Their services, however, were not called upon.