Much Wilful Damage Caused By Smugglers Nanking, July 8.
In the period May 24 to June 18, Japanese and Korean "renin" forcibly have put on board south-bound Tientsin-Pukow trains, without paying transport fees, more than 3,600 pieces Jot artificial ' silk, more than 420 packages of cigarette paper, and more than 420 packages of sugar, according to figures published by the Ministry of Railways. Calculated on the sui position that these smuggled goods all had Tsinan as their destination, the loss sustained by the Tientsin-Pukow Rallivay amounted to more than $30,000 during the 26 days. This did not include piece-goods and sundry articles, Once, nine coaches all loaded with sugar were seized at Tsinan. The amount of the transport fees due was $3,500, plus $48 as. coolie expenses. 'A second time, carloads of sugar were seized at Tsinan, entailing $4,186 transport fees. Both cargoes! were taken away by the Japanese by force. Actually, the loss sustained by rollway totalled more than $38, Property Damaged In forcibly loading illicit cargo on the trains, the Japanese and Korean smugglers just tossed it in through the windows, damaging the window-sill and breaking chairs and other equipment on the trains, According to the Railway Ministry's report, this happened eight times, but only three times damage of $13.80 was pald for.
The smuggling situation has become much worse lately. The smug~ glers simply refuse to pay transport dues and. board the trains carrying! their Illictt goods as luggage. Upon arriving at their destination they un-Toad and carry them out from the station by themselves.
'The report further states that it now a matter of frequent occurrence for Japanese and Koreans to pack in. the passenger coaches, overload] cars, break windows, and crush seats, 'They shout and act' savagely beyond reason. Thus regular passengers can hot travel without molestation, and peace and order on the trains and iso at the stations have been greatly disturbed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.