AN ILLICIT STILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5463, 15 January 1896, Page 3

AN ILLICIT STILL.

THE MENAND CASE. A FINE OF £50 INFLICTED; At the> Lyttelton Court this, morning, before Mr E. Beetham, S.M., Alexis Menand ■was charged under Section 111 of the Pis- • tillation- Act, with having a still in. his possession. . !, ' . ''' ' . '. Mr T: W. Stringer appeared to prosecute,.and Mr J.. Joyce defended- , : Alex. Henderson, Chief Detective of ; Police at Christchurch, deposed that ao*cused was arrested on, Dec. 9j on another (charge. . Witness went with accused to the ; house, and. the articles produced- were 'found; Inspector Brohani, who was preJsent, askedMenandwhat hehad been doing with the things,, arid accused "said he had been trying.to make w.hisky, but had failed. 1 To Mr Joyce:: Had no expert knowledge on. the subject, but would say that the produced were capable-of distilling,, spirits. • .■'''.' • ■; ' . ' . '• • .' Sergeant Eutle'dge, sergeant of police iat Lyttelton, deposed to ' charging ' accused iwitli having, the stilly the worm and two •bottles .of spirits' : . in ; Ms. ' possession. -Accused stated 'that he 1 had- attempted 'itp 'make some spirits 'put of molas3.es; but the .reaiUt was not satisfactory, and he had Used the apparattis to dissolve camphor. • -Professor Bickertbn deposed ithat he had 'examined 'the articlesr in Court,' and they:. would, certainly .distill spirits, v Analysedthe spirit' found in the bottles, and obtained -23- per cent . of • alcohbl. Searched s j <for other- thiri^s/ but . did . not; - find them i' The • pipes* used in the ■ cbnstruotipn of •thejwbrm were^bf -.lead, bnt t^foun^'iio.lead^^ in' the spirits':: wr'-^H.^.:' ■ '■:. ■■ Mr. Joyce called for theldefeiice. ' r '. Alexis Meiuind deposed that jie . ;,was, a y Jtenchman,, and .had* been at- sea r bffand bn for some time.; ' Had ■ made; the things now in' Court f9r the purjk)S& of making spirits to dissolve camphor which to, i rub his wife's arm. : Made the < still two arid ahalf years ago,- and had not used It, fqr>twp years. • It, proved a :failure> an4 had since been'lying in the rubbish ■■ room. Noattempt was made to hide the things inany way, : and anyone -"coming into 'the house could have seen them.- Hyhile* he. lived; m . : Franc9 l'he.had .a still ; . . iri> fact^, niost peoplefmade spirits from the reliiso of swine ;'a'nd i (jider. ; He had never been able to make spirits; successfully., Didnotknow' it.waa.an offence. to 'keep a' stilU •• ,r v ' | .;• To Mi Stringer:; /Had only; used the still \ f6r.:sis' mpnths; vits had proved a. lailure/' TJs'e4'oiily rawaiigarimthe. distillation,; [ " :• ; Gaptaid Ma'rqtiet; saidithat while living in OPrance : he 'knewijthat. farmers^ an.d.-j6thers kept stills farid^ distilled ;their 'own :spirits E fromthe refuse. of grapesyci^er, an<i other ithingsft rßi.d it was, against; the flaw -to 'keep agtill uiitil he had seen a few cases in thepapers lately, i - .-..., ;>. . ' ;■ JG^.yv > lorsKipsal<itKQre. I w»sno,<lpTil>ta.Vo'* l 'fc:; the o&sk .- ;The.!charge was for haviiigft: still ■ in, ; hisvposses9ioriv; That- had; been admittedi'and,there -the matter ended. ..-The Jaw:^ provided /for' '&• penalty; ,pf rBSOO ,-as a jnaximuiri,.and as. a; minimum. give any facts regarding the man's•position? •.■".: '■■■';.-, "■ ■ .;;- • -.'.-, "■/•!■;•■■;. ■■■ : ' '' -. Mr Stringer: said he' understood that theaccused was a .eea-faring man, and had rio means. "- .. -. . '■; "• -,■■ • ..- -" .- ; . \- f. j. ' v His "Wptehip: Is there any suggestion ■that; the accused has" been disposing of spirit? ;- - •■;, ■:;: : : . >.■■■;■ : r' : ■ . • . ,-. !•:■ ..-.-Mr Stringer? : No, • ypur' "Worship. • We cannot find that^. he /has done so,- and. have no reason toaupppse- such to.be the case.', . -. .His Worship : I 'Suppose, 'then, there can .be nothing gained. by imposing more than, :the ininimuin- amount?.: '„"- •.' •■' ■ ■]■' f ; Mr/Stringer i 'No, your, Wbrship. ' ; l His Worship : Accused is fined £50 arid costs; and; the things,; will be forfeited; in default, three months' imprisonment. ,