SMUGGLING OF SILVER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18398, 16 May 1934, Page 10

SMUGGLING OF SILVER

CUNNING PLAN FAILS COUPLE LOSE £l2O (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. A haul of silver valued at £l2O was made by a detective and a customs officer ivhen they searched the luggage ol a married couple, third-class passengeis, on the Niagara, shortly before the vessel sailed for Sydney this evening. Hie silver was all in half-crowns, and was pasted on the inside of the bottom ot a trilnk and bat box. It ivas confiscated by the customs, but no action was taken against the couple, ivho joined at Auckland and sailed by the vessel. The concealment of the money bad been carried out in a very cunning manner, which involved a considerable amount of labor. Layers of cardboard, the size of the bottom of the trunk and hatbox had been punched with numerous holes the size of a half-crown. After each layer of cardboard was filled with half-crowns the whole surface ivas pasted over with brown paper. This prevented the coins rattling. The top layer in the trunk and liatbox appeared to bo the inside of the bottom of the receptacle. So solid had the layers set with dried paste that the tivo officers had considerable difficulty in digging out the coins with knives. It ivas a gamble to save £3O in exchange, but they lost .their £I2Q instead.