The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1897. SMUGGLING.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 174, 26 January 1897, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1897. SMUGGLING.

It would appear our conjecture that the Hinemoa was to be employed for the protection of the revenue from smuggling, was a correct one. The subject' has also received the attention of our contemporary the Auckland Herald which lays the chief blame of the contraband trade carried on, to the doors of the aliens who are resident in bays and creeks where there are no Oustomsofficers to detect them. This is >ue of the consequences of our high tariff. The profit of smuggling almost ?very article imported is so great that .here will always be found persons willing to take the enormous risks involved. • . There is no doubt that jJew Zealand offers considerable facili cies for smuggling, and these will be increasingly made use of as the trade which gives it cover. On the East Coast between Auckland and the North Cape, are many harbours and :oves where cargoes of contraband could be landed by those who were . iring enough. There are other parts i the colony also abounding in faciliie.s, though no part, perhaps, so well idaptpd as our northean coast. We may, therefore, hope to find the Hine moa pretty frequently in our neighbourhood. We are afraid, however, hat a Urge amount of smuggling goes »n which the Hinemoa, making surprise visits to secluded bays and creeks, ■vill be powerless to check— that is, >f goods brought over by regular traders. That will go on and will jrobably increase, till we have in New '^exland something like a rational tariff.