BREWER WITHOUT LICENSE.
AERATED WATER FIRM PROSECUTED.
A FINE OF £25 IMPOSED. AUCKLAND, October 10.
A fine of £25 was imposed in the Police Court on an aerated water firm, the Waiwai, Ltd., which was charged
with carrying on the business of a brewer without a license. The prosecution was brought by the Health Department in regard to a brew of hop beer which contained more than the maximum amount of proof spirit, and the offence was admitted by Mr Towle on behalf of the company.
Mr MTntosh, for the department, stated that in March the defendant firm brewed a quantity of hop beer which was found on analysis to contain 7 per cent, of proof spirit, and the prosecution was brought by the police, the firm being convicted in May. Later investigations were made by the Health Department, which was responsible for the present prosecution in regard to another brew which was found to contain over. 4 per cent, pf proof spirit. On the foot of the' .defendant’s license to brew hop beer , was a warning that if the holder of a license brewed beer of more than the limit of • 3 per cent, proof spirit he would be held
to have brewed beer. It was on this account that the charge was one of carryon the business pf a brewer. “ What is the alcoholic content of real beer? ” asked the magistrate. “ About 7 per cent, proof spirit,” replied Mr M'lntosh. Mr Towle said that the firm had been in business for 25 years and had borne an excellent reputation. In March a brew had been made which contained 7 per cent, of spirit, and a prosecution had followed. Since then the firm had enforced an analysis of each subsequent month’s brew, and for the next four months the hop beer had an alcoholic content well below the limit. In the present case it was very little above the limit and was nothing like the previous brew in respect of which the prosecution was brought. “In that ease I think that I remember that your Worship described it as beer with a kick in it,” concluded counsel.
“ I think that I said it would be a shock to some of the firm’s prohibition customers,” rejoined the magistrate (Mr F. K a Hunt). “ I would point out that although each brew is made from the same recipe and ingredients it is. exceptionally difficult to guarantee a uniform percentage of proof spirit,” concluded Mr Towle.
The magistrate then imposed a fine of £25, and ordered the defendant com- ■ pany to pay the costs of the prosecution.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19301014.2.96
Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 23
Word Count
435BREWER WITHOUT LICENSE. Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 23
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