ILLICIT STILL

Southland Times, Issue 20772, 13 May 1929, Page 5

ILLICIT STILL

SPEY STREET HOUSE

WHISKY AND APPARATUS SEIZED

ONE MAN ARRESTED

. Not for many years has illicit apparatus for the distillation of whisky or illicitly distilled whisky been found in the town of Invercargill, but a police raid on a sixroomed dwelling in Spey Street on Saturday evening resulted in the discovery of a still and a quantity of whisky. The seizure of such apparatus in the outlying districts of Southland has not been uncommon in the past, but whisky stills are not usually expected in the towns. Armed with a warrant to search, a party consisting of Inspector Fahey, Senior-Ser-geant Fox, Sergeant Abel and Constable Nesbit proceeded to a house in Spey Street shortly after 10 o’clock on Saturday evening. The building referred to is rented and occupied by a middle-aged woman and with her live her daughter and a boarder named Edward Nichols, a man about 35 years of age-

The police discovered the front of the house in darkness so they proceeded to the rear door where they were met by Nichols. They informed him of the reason for their visit, and he returned with them to the kitchen where they discovered the occupier of the house and a male visitor. After a slight hesitation Nichols conducted the officers into a back room where they discovered a copper worm fitted into a barrel. The officers were next taken to a room in the centre of the house, where three kegs of varying sizes were stored along with jars and bottles. The vessels all contained distilled whisky, some being coloured while part was still in its natural state. There was a little over 12 gallons in all and a strong smell of alcohol pervaded the room.

At the invitation of Nichols some of the officers tested the whisky and pronounced it “not bad.” The liquor and apparatus were collected by the police and carried to the verandah for removal to the police station by lorry. A lorry was sent for and a further general search was made. The curiosity of the Senior-Sergeant was aroused by the discovery that the wash-house door was locked and a sack was nailed across the window. Nichols was questioned and assured the police that there was nothing in the wash-house. The key was asked for and could not be found so the door was forced, Nichols assisting to burst it open. Two large barrels containing a total of 72 gallons of wash were discovered along with an iron boiler which had clearly been used in the distillation processes. Other utensils that had evidently been used in the same connection were also discovered and conveyed to the verandah for transferance to the lorry. The greater part of the wash, which was bubbling in vigorous fermentation and was apparently just about ready for distillation, was emptied out, and the barrels were removed to the lorry. The liqtfor and apparatus were then removed to the police station and locked in a cell about midnight. Nichols was arrested and appeared before Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., at the police station yesterday and was admitted to bail on the application of Mr. T. Meredith. Security was fixed at self for £250 and one surety of £250, and Nichote will appear at the Police Court this afternoon at 2.30 to be charged with the illegal distillation of liquor. He will also be charged with having been found in possession of distillation apparatus. The occupier of the house will appear to answer a charge of occupying premises where illegal distillation was conducted. She disclaims all knowledge of the matter

The visitor found on the premises will be charged with being found on premises where liguor was illegally distilled. Action to effect the arrest was taken by the police under the provisions of the Distillation Act, but prosecutions in this connection are conducted by the Customs authorities. Consequently the prosecution will be conducted by the local collector of customs, Mr. H. S. Cordery, who inspected the seized liquor and apparatus yesterday at the invitation of the police.