OPIUM SMUGGLERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11141, 3 December 1907, Page 6

OPIUM SMUGGLERS.

ENCOUNTER WITH THE CUSTOMS

An interesting story of an v encounter between Customs officials and Chinese at Port Darwin has been received by the Federal Minister for Customs. It appears that Customs officers at Port Darwin have been experiencing considerable difficulty m enforcing the opium ! prohibition, and an attempt m this direction almost resulted m, bjpodshed recently. The authorities received information that a number of packages of opium had been dropped overboard from a steamer m a certain place, and they accordingly

set out for that place m a small boat. On anival they found a craft containing several Chinese cruising and they called on them to surrender the contents of the boat. Instead of complying wit.li the demand, the Chinese turned their craft head on to the Customs boat, and endeavored to run it down. The lattei however managed to get out of the way, and eventually succeeded m getting alongside the Chinese boat. One of the Celestials then attacked them with s meat axe, but he was overcome before any damage had been done. When the boat was searched, nothing buti a few empty tins were found. As a result oJ the occurrence, the Minister has decided to allow the men engaged m this work tc' carry revolvers.

. A private firm has secured a thirty years' lease for lighting the district oS the ■Johnsonville Town Board, near Wei lington, by electricity. It is intended to form a company to carry out the scheme, and a start will be made! immediately m erecting the required .plant. The price for lighting will be 8d per unit, and m return for the thirty years' concession the syndicate has agreed to supply sixty street lamps with electricity at the rate of 25s 2d a lamp a. year. The days of disagreeable, harsh medicines are past, and .Chamberlain's Tablets top the poll as the most pleasant to take, mildest and gentlest m effect, safest and surest m their results. Try them next time you need a purgative, and you will be more than pleased. For sale by E. D. Smith, chemist. The Jersey cows at Taranaki show included a cow recently, sold for £104. Mr L. P. Williams, manager, Times and Star, Westport.N.Z., -writes: "While on a visit to Christchurch, I was attacked with, a severe bout of dysentery, and was unable to leave the hotel. Had some medicine sent m from; a chemist, but it gave me no relief.- Having seen m the papers what others bad said about Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy, I decided to try it and sent out for a bottle. The result was most satisfactory, for after taking two doses I was free from all pain, and Avas soon completely cured." For sale by E. D. Smith, chemist. A country hotelkeeper had a peculiar mishap the other evening. He set tc shear a sheep, partly for pastime, and the animal proving too lively lie knelt on it to hold it firm, and a boxthorn m the wool ran into the knee. He had to obtain medical aid and lay up for a week. Mr Frank Wj Frazer, of Scone, N.S.W., writes : "I was touring New Zealand some time ago, and owing to the continued wet "weather contracted a very severe cold. While staying at the Royal Oak, m Wellington, a friend advised me to try / Chamberlain's ' Cough Remedy. This advice was followed, Ymd a!fcr I had taken a few doses was completely cured. I can confidently recommend Chamberlain's Cough Remedy to anyone suffering from throat or lung troubles. For sale by E. D. Smith, chemist.- ; Which of the maritime nations is destined to be supreme on the Pacific? According to Mr Shira.ishi, manager of the Oriental Steamship Company of Japan, the future control of that ocean is more likely to .'rest with Japan and America that with England, Germany, or France. Certainly, the Japanese are extraordinarily active. The' Japanese have their own services to the United States, Aus : tralia, and India. They have lately tapped the trade of South America,, which ..they find more lucrative, sq they assert, than that with any other part of the world. The Japanese flag/ h ad the advantage last year of subsidies to the tune of £785,000, arid -another £73,000 was contributed as subventions to.shipbuilding. As our ■ allies oan both build . and run steamers more cheaply than the United States owners, their destiny on the Pacific is not m much doubt. INDIGESTION cured and assimilation, of food certain; after taking Pearson's Pepto-chlor. All chemists, Is, 2s 6d, and 4«. At the time the last mail left London it is said that, the Central Market was agitated by a new "latest discovery" m. connection with, the preservation of f ood. In Argentina they claim to be m possession of an invaluable secret which they are jealously guarding from the outside world. Beef* treated by this process has, according to a trade report, arrived m London looking ' 'almost ; as: good as the best town killed.'- The object aimed at | is to dispense with freezing, : and this principle '- of the process is sterilisation. ! First a vacuum is made m the receptable, then sterilised air is driven m. Next a tablet is burned inside, and after that the meat remains for half an hour. This- done, it is said that the meat is perfectly safe from tainting for as long as 30 days, without further precautions. The secret lies jn the composition of the tablet, A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY Is Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery, the wellknown remedy for all Chest and Lung Troubles; Is od and 3s per bottle. Obtainable at A. W. J. Mann's chemist, arid B. Taylor's, Wliafcatutu. The French m the New Hebrides Group are still displaying great activity, their latest venture being the starting of trading m the southern islands of the group. These islands up to the present have been praptienlly British, and the sale of gin and firearms to the natives has' always been prohibited there. Fears are now expressed! by a florrespondent that- if this illicit trading i s carried on at the southern islands, it -will simply mean the ruin of ; British trade, and a great .many of the natives also. "Already," he adds, "a great deal of harm has been dome, and it will be a pity if the southern natives are taught the pernicious customs of their northern neighbors, who, b^. over-indul-gence m cheap intoxicants,~supplied by unprincipled people, are rapidly dying out." '■ Mr T. R. Davis, Truro; S.A., writes: "Some months ago I had a very severe attack of diarrhoea. Knowing that Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy had effected a cure m many similar cases, «I. decided to see what it would do for me, and am plased to say it checked the attack. I can confidently recommend Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy to ainvone suffering from the same complaint-" For sale by E. J> ? Smith, qhemht,