New Britain herald., 1929-06-22
ASSERTS OFFICERS
 AID RUM RUNNERS
Canadian Official Says They As-
 &t in Handing Liquor
BY W. D. EULER
Canadian Minister of National


 Canadian Minister of National
 Revenue
 Excerpts from . speech delivered in the Canadian House of Parlia- ment.)
 From the Bridgeburg district have q report. in reply to an inquiry. by the collector at Bridgebprs. On- tario. written on April II of last year and directed to the commits sioner of customs.
 Dear Mir. Breadner:
 T wish to give you . short ac- count of the rum-running at this port, and our procedure in the matter.
 There are about IF boats ply ing between here and Buffalo. N Y.. the river at this point being about half mile wide. Some days we only have two or three boats out" - I do not think he should say I've" have-'they have only two or three boats out. and on other days the whole fleet will make a trip.
 Leave in the Afternoon
 "The liquo: and ale arc brought from the distillery and brewery by truck. arriving here about two o'clock in the after noon. The ooats are all loadei and clearance granted about five p. m. and they are compelled to leave by six p. m.
 "some of these boats carry from 800 to 1000 cases, and on their arrival on the American side it takes from two to three hours to unload them.
 No effort, as far as we can see, is made by the United States authorities to seize any of these boats, as the United States cus- toms are always notified by us an hour or two before the boats leave, and occasionally we notify them as the boats are leaving, gtv- ing them the names of the boats and the quantity of liquor or ale on board.
 I've have had high customs officials from Buffalo. special agents and officers connected with tho coast guard come over to the Canadian side, watch these boats load and pull out. It is well- known fact that some of these boats land within a few hundred yards of the United States cus- toms office at the foot of Ferry street and unload without being disturbed.
 "Some few weeks ago. no doubt you saw in the press where it was stated that truck had drawn out on the Peace bridge and un- loaded the ale down on the bank on the American side by tying rope around the cases and lower- ing them to the river bank. As a matter of fact this ale was un- loaded from one of the rum boats plying between here and Buffalo. right under the Peace bridge within a few hundred yards of the customs house.
 u., S. Officers Helped Them
 "Our officers who check these boats out were informed by one of the rum runners that they had no trouble in landing their cargo as they were assisted by officers of the dry squad on the American side. and it would appear that such must be the case when sev- en or eight boats will leave here and land their cargoes. sometimes taking them three hours to un- load. without any casualties.
 These boats are loaded direct ly opposite from the United States customs office at Black Rock. You can stand by the window in that office and look across and see every case that is loaded on the Canadian side. I know if condi- tions were reversed that we would have all these boats tied up in ADs than a week. and If the of- ficers on the American side wish 10 put stop to this business they could do it in about the same length of tims."
 That is signed by F. T. Patti son, collector of national revenue at Bridgeburg. Ontario. I am reading this. MT. Speaker. not for the purpose of making . criticism