A LABOUR OF LOVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 273, 18 November 1927, Page 5

A LABOUR OF LOVE.

MAKING A WHISKY STILL

HOW IDEA DEVELOPED

TWO MEN" EACH FIXED £10.

As a sequel to the policc mid on a whisky still i n Mount Albert last Saturday. Johu McSweeney and John Newman Lyons appeared before Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., at the Police Court this morning-. McSweeney, for whom Mr. Allan Moody appeared, pleaded guilty to a charge of having the still in his possession without a license. Lvons, who was represented by Mr. G. P. Finlay, admitted a charge of knowingly supplying an unlicensed still.

On behalf of the Crown, Mr. V. X. Hubble, who prosecuted, said that the charges were the result of the police finding an unlicensed still in St. Luke's Road, Mount Albert, last Saturday. McSweeney was staying at the house. The still was discovered hidden under some sacks in a shed. The complete parts of a whisky still of large size were found. Apparently McSweeney worked the still and Lyons had something to do in the making of it. Lyons was a tinsmith. There was no actual evidence I that anyone had been supplied with | whisky made in this still, if the case was proceeded with indictably the maximum fine provided was one of £.100 or I imprisonment. However, the present jcharpes were being dealt with summarily • and the magistrate could impose a maximum penalty of £100 or a minimum one !of £25.

! On l>e!ialf of McSweeney. Mr. Moody | said that defendant was a single man of |42 and a storeman employed by a local (shipping company. When interviewed by the police about the matter he was quite frank. The still was only in the experimental stage. Counsel pointed out t.bat this was the first prosecution of its kind in Auckland. The still itself would now have to be forfeited, and the labour —it might be a' labour of love on McSweeney's part—lost. McSweeney had foolishly conceived tlie idea of manufacturing his own wliiskv.

Mr. McKean: I understand thta the sHI had a considerable capacity. Mr. Moody: But it did not work, sir. 1 would suggest that £25, which is the minimum fine, is quite a liberal sum to award to the Government."

"This still was originally conceived in an experimental way as the result of experiments with a milk cooling apparatus," said Mr. Finlay. "It was only subsequently that tlie idea of a whisky I still developed, and my client has put [his savings and time into this thing— [two years' hard labour, after hours, and |now be loses it all." Mr. Finlay thought jtliat somewhere in the vicinty of the [minimum fine would satisfy the ends of justice. Mr. Hnblile: I consider that if the defendants opened a .dairy for the sal" of milk made with this apparatus, it would he a highly popular beverage, j (Laughter.) I "It would be quite a good mixture— |whisky and milk." suggested Mr. Moody.

Mr. McKean said that the Legislature looked on the matter as a serious one. ilf he thought that the still had been sucjocssfullv operated he would have no hesitation in inflicting the maximum penalty. However, the result of the defendants' two years' overtime had been forfeited. Knoli would lie fined £25, solicitors' fee £3 3/. in default two months' imprisonment. Thev were allowed until December 16 in which to pay the fines.