AN ILLICIT STILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12070, 13 September 1902, Page 3

AN ILLICIT STILL.

ACCUSED FINED £100.

[BY JELhCZiWa.— rKESS ASSOCIATION .] Cheistchi rch, Friday. At tho Magistrate's Court today James Edward McGrath was charged with being found in possession of an illicit still and a quantity of spirits at Lin.vood. Accused pleaded guilty. He came to the colony a few months ago ami took a house, where lie set up a complete distillery in company with his wife and a man named Sheridan. Sugar ami yeast were used in the mixture. It is not known how much spirits and beer were manufactured. Counsel for the defence said the accused after arriving in New Zealand did clerical work till he met .Sheridan, who told accused he (Sheridan) had 'eon engaged in an illicit distillerv but had been prosecuted and fined £+00. Ho told him it was not illegal to make spirits for private use. and offered to show him how. The two came to Christdiiueh, and Sheridan distilled whisky. The accused became suspicious that the business was not legal and refused to have, anything to do with it. Tllo result was that not an ounce ci spirit was ever sold. Counsel for the prosecution said the accused told the Collector of Customs lie was here in purchase stock, and most of th<> apparatus was ingeniously concealed, and accused tried to deny its nature when visited by the collector, showing that lie could hardly have thought he was carrying on an innocent busiuc.-i-. He had no evidence against Sheridan, who was old and infirm.

The Magistrate said it was a barefaced case, and the minimum penalty asked for by counsel for the defence would not be sufficient, fie fined accused £100, with the alternative of three months' imprisonment.

The charge against. John .Sheridan < ( being concerned in, unlawfully making spirits was then withdrawn, on the application of coun-sel-for the prosecution.