BANNED AIGRETTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

BANNED AIGRETTES.

SEIZURES AT NEW YORK. With the arrival in New York recently of the Kronprinzessin Uecilie mud excitement and indignation resulted from the seizure by the Customs inspectors of £3000 worth of aigrettes and other bird plumage, now excluded from the United States by the new tariff law. The Kronprinzessin Cecilie brought, among other notable passengers, , several" operatic singers, all of whom, apparently, had not troubled to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the new law, because most of them were wearing the forbidden plumage in their hats, and others tried to smuggle feathers through the Customs lines in their cabin trunks. Altogether fifteen ladies were held up while the inspectors politely requested them to remove the plumage. One or two complied without protest, but the majority refused, and the officials, were obliged to snip the costly aigrettes from the ladies' hats and thoroughly search the steamer trunks. The ladies loudly berated the inspectors, and indignantly declared that the idea that the United States was a free country was a screaming farce. Mrs. Frederick W. Vanderbilt was one of those who gave up her aigrettes with only mild protestations. Madame Caroline Whitelongone, however, according to reports published, was not so docile. She refused to surrender her hat, and the inspector whipped out a pair of scissors ana clipped the aigrettes off. Madam? Whielongone said she had £1800 worth of aigrettes in her trunk, and defied the inspectors to take them. But the aigrettes were confiscated. Many Americans still believe that they can bring the excluded feathers into the country so long as they show satisfactory proof that the goods were purchased in the United States, but the Jaw provides that aigrettes once taken out of the country can never return, except to be confiscated and burnt. This is the point which is causing the Customs inspectors most trouble with every arriving Transatlantic liner.