AN OBLIGING HORSE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22257, 9 May 1934, Page 8

AN OBLIGING HORSE

PARTY .LED ,T 0 STILL ; CHARGES AGAINST FATHER AND SON. (Peb United Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, May 8. What, according to the Crown prosecutor, was probably the first case of its kind to come before a- common jury, was heard before Mr Justice Kennedy in the Supreme Court to-day, when William Allan Alexander -M'Rae and his son, William Robertson M'Rae, both-of Dunsdale, farmers, were charged with being concerned in unlawfully making spirits. The accused pleaded not guilty. Hugh Sherwood Cordery, collector of Customs and inspector of distilleries for Southland, gave evidence that in February last he visited the locality of the accused's property accompanied by Sergeant Abel and Constable Nesbit and found the illicit still in question. He said that Constable Murphy found a three-gallon keg containing an ounce or two of liquor, which, on being tasted, gave the characteristic test of " Hokonui" whisky. Witness referred to a further visit to the farm and related that the members of the party obtained the loan of a horse which, when given its head, led them into the bush. Witness|mounted the horse, which took them to an old tent in the bush, roughly half a mile from the still. Sergeant Abel then took a seat on the mare, and it walked to an abandoned site 20 yards away, which did not appear to have been used during the past' two years or so. There was a very marked resemblance between that ; still and the new one. After leaving the old still the mare, with Sergeant | Abel riding her, went straight to a tree by the new still and stopped there. Senior Sergeant Jackson stated in evidence that M'Rae, sen., said that he knew nothing of the still and would , give £2O if one were found on his pro- > pcrty. After further evidence on behalf of the Crown had been heard, the hearing was adjourned until to-morrow.