DODGING THE CUSTOMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20643, 15 February 1929, Page 10

DODGING THE CUSTOMS.

AN AMUSING INCIDENT. TURNING THE TABLES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 7. It is amazing that so many people are prepared to defraud a Government by evading Customs duty. These same people would never dream of committing any other fraud, but for some reason they refuse to regard smuggling- as the serious crime which it certainly is. In this connection an amusing incident has come to light. It is said that a prominent barrister conceived the idea of smuggling into the country many yards of valuable lace. Included in his luggage was a typewriter, and the lace had been crammed into the case. He assured the Customs authorities that he had nothing of a dutiable nature, and his luggage was franked in the usual way. Some of his luggage, including the typewriter, was left at the wharf shed pending instructions. Later he directed that the typewriter should be delivered to his chambers. On receiving it he eagerly opened it, anxious to examine its valuable contents. Imagine his shock when, he discovered that the lace had been removed, and in place of the almost new typewriter there was an old worn-out one. . The changes had been rung on him with a vengeance, and, of course, he was unable to create any fuss. It is .believed that the theft took place in the wharf shed.

It is the rule of the Customs Department in Australia to station a watchman at the gangway of all boats from the East. They carefully search members of the crews when going ashore on leave. One afternoon six or seven members of a Chinese crew ran down the' gangway pelting each other with dead rats. No one enjoyed the fun'belter than the officer on watch, and when one of the rats fell near him he had a shot at one of the Chinese. The game continued until the wharf was left behind. Then one of the Chinese collected all the rats. They were stuffed with opium. Smuggling charges followed. A mate on a China boat overheard the members of his crew speaking of a quantity of opium that was concealed in jars which should have contained preserved ginger. The boat-called at Brisbane, but an opportunity to land the opium was not presented, and it was brought on to Sydney. On arrival at Sydney the mate proceeded to the city, and purchased many jars of ginger—jars identical with those on board containing opium. These took the place of the jars of opium, and the opiuta was smuggled ashore. The Customs officer on duty was informed that the cases contained ginger, imported for a friend for the Christmas -trade. Two cases were open for inspection, and from each the officer received a jar of ginger as a Christmas present. He was so convinced of the genuineness of the claim that the mate had no difficulty in getting past the landing officer. So far so good, but the Chinese did not take the matter very kindly, and when they discovered how they had been tricked they informed the Customs officials. It was the mate who had to answer the charge of smuggling. On one of the P. and O. steamers that arrived in Sydney recently among. the saloon passengers were a couple who were extremely popular. The woman’s jewellery was the admiration of all on board, and on arrival in Sydney it was declared as personal properly, and allowed to be taken ashore. The couple soon after opened a small shop in the city, and it was then discovered that they had the proceeds of a London robbery. They were arrested and sent back to London.