ILLICIT STILLS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16608, 4 December 1919, Page 7

ILLICIT STILLS.

FOR CHEAP AA r HISKY. The increase of the spirit duty from 14s 9d pet proof gallon to 30 s 111 and to 50s in May last has led to isolated attompts to revive the practice of illicit distillation, which oi late years has been practically non-existent in tlie United Kingdom (writes a Revenue officer in the London Evening News). A , The illicit distiller is best able to conduct his operations in the largest towns, where he is lost in the crowd, or in the "wilds” of Scotland or Ireland, where observation is difficult. But wherever ho works his lot is a hard one and attended by serious risks. Lawabiding trader.-, have no use for bun, and the public, possessing as they mostly do, discriminating palates, reject his crude potations. Spirn.-,of the first distillation is too impure to be potable, and has to be re-di-i died. The final product should properly be matured for a year or two, bub naturally the illicit is anxious to rid himself of the "stuff” at the earliest possible moment. ‘Maturing” is impracticable, and to circumvent this difficulty the spirit is often "faked" will flavouring essences. Detection of offenders against the Revenue Law is brought about sometimes in strange,ways. A small gang began operations in an underground cellar in a slum area of a largo town, and the consumption of poisonous spirits in the locality- was quickly' indicated bv the outbreak of an unusual and violent form of intoxication. Now the making of even a little whisky demands the use of a lot of water, which is required as a cooling agent in the process of distillation and inquiries of the local water company revealed the fact that an abnormal quantity of water was being used or wasted in a particular street. Investigations proved that the gang had from them collar tunnelled outwards, and had tapped the water main. The leakage of water and the revenue ceased simultaneously.