ILLICIT STILL

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

ILLICIT STILL

PLANT HIDDEN IN BUSH. LARGEST FOUND IN SOUTHLAND. The Invercargill police raided. an illicit distilling plant in the Dunsdale district, about 40 miles from the city, yesterday, and seized a still of about 30 gallons capacity, 140 gallons of whisky wash and a dozen casks. The plant is regarded as the biggest ever discovered in Southland. It was elaborately fitted up and capable of supplying large quantities of “Hokonui” whisky. The police had had suspicions of the operation of an illicit still in the Dunsdale district for some time, and during the past week Sergeant Abel and Constable Nesbet were despatched to the spot to make observations. They made two excursions into the bush, and after a trying search in sweltering conditions saw sufficient to convince them that the time for a raid was opportune. Yesterday they were reinforced by four other members of the Invercargill police force and Mr. H. S. Cordery. collector of customs. After circling the plant in order that no person connected with it should I escape they converged upon it and seized the plant, but the operators were away from home an no arrests were made.

Considering the remoteness of the site, hidden in trees at the foot of a slope, Sergeant Abel and Constable Nesbit made a creditable discovery. The slopes of the hills and the valley below are .densely wooded at the spot and only by most careful scrutiny could any clues to the presence of the still be detected.

The area of the plant “house” was about 36ft. by 12ft. There were no actual walls to the still house, which was coveted with tarpaulins propped up and overhanging the sides. The owners or operators had taken the precaution to disseminate the smoke from the fires through a chimney of iron erected on almost a horizontal plane so that the smoke would be spread into and under the trees, through which it rose as little more than a light haze. This haze provided the police with a clue to the still.

It is understood that a water pipe was connected to the plant from a river close by for cooling purposes. It appears to have been a cleverly erected plant and in the past might have distilled large quantities ”, of ’ illicit liquor. The casks and general equipment suggested that a big business had been carried on. One of the casks found is capable of holding 104 gallons of liquor.