RUM-RUNNING

Southland Times, Issue 19123, 15 December 1923, Page 5

RUM-RUNNING

AN INCREASING FLOW SMUGGLERS HARD AT WORK AUTHORITIES’ MAMMOTH TASK. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK, December 13. (Received December 14 11.0 p.m.) A telegram from Malone says that the law officers are desperately striving to stop the increasing flow of Canadian liquor over the long frontier consigned to the big cities for the Christmas trade. It has been pouring into the United States causing the authorities serious concern. Mr Raney, former Attorney-General for the Province of Ontario, the author of much of that province’s Prohibition legislation, probably Canada’s leading expert on Prohibition law, announces that he finds it impossible to correctly estimate the amount of liquor crossing from Canada into the United States, but says he realises that it is many millions of gallons annually. Suggesting that public opinion must be re-awakened in view of the flouting of the Volstead law in many American States, Mr Raney says that the situation existing to-day “is impossible, or rather it would be impossible if it were not an actuality.” “Canadian distilleries and breweries are reaping enormous profits from sales to organised smugglers, and rum-runners, to the demoralisation of our own citizens and of law enforcement in our own country, as well as the enforcement of wholesome laws in a friendly country. He charges that "the Canadian Government Railways created special facilities for a smuggling business by international outlaws, and that the Canadian people are taking a large revenue from the contraband trade. He believes that the 12mile treaty will end the sea-going liquor traffic, and. then Canada cannot afford to incur the odium attaching to the only country supplying “thirsty America.”