HOMEBREWED BEER SOLD

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21334, 29 November 1934, Page 7

HOMEBREWED BEER SOLD

«. MAX FINED AT I'ETONE U'HKSS ASSOIIATIO* IT.I.F.GIAM.) WELLINGTON, November 28. "The department views this type of offence as very serious," said the Collector of Customs, Mr Paul, at the Petone Magistrate's Court, when Arthur Thomas Bird was charged with selling beer without a license, and carrying on the trade or business of a brewer without being the holder of a brewer's license. Bird pleaded guilty. Mr Paul stated that Constable Higgins's attention had been drawn to the behaviour of two youths, who were staggering in the street. One of the youths made a statement that he bought two bottles of home-brew at Lird's home. A search warrant was obtained, and in a bedroom at Bird's home, 12 quart bottles of home-brew were found. In a washhouse. a 15-gal-lon cask of liquor was in the process of being brewed, and 70 empty bottles were found. Bird said he started selling beer because he was on relief work. The Collector of Customs stated that home-brew contained about 6.3 per cent, of proof spirit, which was about the sirens'h of the beer sold by licensed brewers. On the licensing offence iselling beer without a license), Senior-Sergeant Siwcr asked for an order for the confiscation of the liquor, to which the magistrate agreed. The magistrate entered a conviction. On I lie charge of carrying' on the irade or business of a brewer without a license, the minimum fine of £25 was imposed. Bird was allowed a month to pay.