SLY-GROG RAID.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 60, 2 July 1908, Page 7

SLY-GROG RAID.

A BIG HAUL, At twenty minutes past 10 o'clook on Friday morning three members of the Police—Constable lopdell (Balclutha), Constable McKenzie (Owaka), and Constable Marshall (Kaitangata) paid a surprise visit to the Farmers' Arms Hotel, Balclutha, occupied by George Fisher, under a search warrant, in quest of liquor. They arrived simultaneously from different directions, and showed their warrant. The premises were thoroughly searched from back to front, high and low, and the result was that one bottle of whisky found refuge in the arm of the law. Not satisfied with this result, the Police called at the various outbuildings. The chaff-house seemed to them a likely-looking place, and part of the floor was pulled up. Success was plainly spelt on the faoes of those valiant policemen, for behold in a well were, it seemed, innumerable bottles containing whisky. One by one they were counted, and no less than 57 were taken out, this ma-klng 58 found in all. It was just by the • merest chance that the find was made. While moving the oat-bin, Constable Lopdell displaced the flooring and noticed a trap-door, which gave access to a hole underneath, the presence of which has no doubt bafiled the efforts of the police on several previous raids. The whisky is, of course, safe in the hands of the Police, and a prosecution is bound to follow. We understand that the Police have maintained a strict watch on tho premises for some time past, and that on the occasion of the raid on Friday they were fully cognisant of the general working of the place, and that the feed r.oom was their main objective from tho start; no matter what success they had elsewhere. The next Court sitting at Balchitha is on Wednesday July 16th.