ILLICIT LIQUOR.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 December 1924, Page 5

ILLICIT LIQUOR.

DESTROYERS ASSIST POLICE. TO CAPTURE RUM-RUNNERS. a* CABLE—PRESS. ASSOCIATION—COPY RIGHT. r WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. The Government has placed twelve of th© fastest destroyers along the Atlantic seaboard to assist in the champagne against the rum fleet. Eight more will be added, together with 250 speed-boats, which will be operated by coastguards. Almost all are ready. The entire battle power provided through the appropriation of 20,000,000 dollars made by Congress will be mobilised by Christmas. The destroyers now frequently capsize the rum craft by rushing at full speed, then stopping short and making a sideway sweep, which causes a tremendous wave to shoot forward and overwhelm the grog ship. It is reported that daylight running has almost entirely superseded night operations owing to the difficulty of distinguishing friend from foe. An official report states that 197 boats were of large tonnage. It is also stated that 2799 automobiles were captured. The Attorney-General’s report lays the chief blame for the illicit traffic to bootleggers catering for society trade, and says the courts are staggering under the load imposed by the prohibition legislation. He advocates sentences of imprisonment for violaters of the prohibition law. 1