CURRENT TOPICS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 24, Issue 16, 28 February 1913, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

The romantic clays of the smuggler are not altogether Up-to-date past. The methods Smuggling, employed are cliff er-

eut, they are possibly less meloclramic, and the “ smuggler’s cave ” and similar accessories are no longer in vogue, but they are decidedly more, ingenious than of yore. Customs officials can tell many tales of the extraordinary cleverness employed by those who make it their business to rob the Exchequer. Many of these smugglers are wealthy and perfectly “ respectable ” people who would never dream of descending to the sin of “ theft.” The extent to which the smuggling of goods into Great Britain goes on to-day is shown by the fact that of the Christmas mails last year over 2 per cent, were found to contain dutiable articles, secreted in folded clothes, stuffed in dummy, boots or otherwise, concealed. In one case a rich plum-pudding of innocent exterior was found to contain a bottle of rare perfume and a rough uncut diamond, of a total value of about£2oo. Quite recently, the “ Standard ” says, a loaf of bread sent to London from an oversea dominion was found on being probed to contain closely-packed tobacco, covered only by the crust and a thin layer of flour. A few years ago several thousands of dollars’ worth of lace were secreted in a coffin beneath a corpse to be smuggled into America. The body, which was found to be that of a pauper, had been bought in England for this gruesome purpose. The crew of a small steamer which traded between London and the Continent, employed a clever ruse for smuggling tobacco. Whenever the excisemen came aboard they were allowed a free and open search and nothing was found. Oddly enough, however, the crew’s washing was always hanging out on theriggingand yards on the occasion of their visits. One day a pair of trousers blew down into the river, and were found by the Customs officers, who happened to rescue them, to be thickly lined with cigars and tobacco sewn to the

cloth. Jewellery smuggling goes on to such a large extent that the American Jewellers’ Protective Association has organised a campaign against the illicit trade, and is spending as much as £50,000 in its efforts to suppress jewel-smuggling. Detectives and agents are to be stationed in all the chief European centres to keep note of all large purchases, and convey the information to the New York Customs officials. It has been discovered that on the Continent “ schools ” exist where smuggling is taught, and are much patronised by wealthy Americans, who go there to learn thelatestand most ingenious ways of getting jewellery duty-free across the Atlantic ; and although the United States Customs officials are regarded as among the smartest in the world, over £250,000 worth of diamonds, it is calculated, are smuggled into New York every year.

It is interesting proof of the development of lawn tennis that Tennis four countries —France, Belgium, Canada, and America—should have already challenged the British Isles for the Davis Cup. Germany may challenge, and Australia will almost certainly do so, so that the playing of the preliminary ties will be a long business. Australian players are a good deal exercised about the representation of Australasia should a team be sent Home, Brookes has said that he will not make the trip this year, but hopes to do so next year. No doubt every effort will be made to persuade him, to change his mind and his attention will probably be tactfully drawn to the fact that he is not getting younger, and that he is now approaching the end of his prime. Australasian interests in the despatch of the team would suffer considerably if Brookes were not in it, for the Victorian is in a class by himself, and it is not thought '' at any other player would beat Eng l ■ id’s representatives. Moreover, it is thought that the willingness of Wilding to play for Australasia will depend on Brookes’ presence in the team. The selection of the team has interest for New Zealanders apart from the inclusion of Wilding, for Ollivier, the brilliant young Canterbury player, who did so well against the Englishmen, is now admitted by the “ Sydney Morning Herald ” to have an undoubted claim to consideration. '