ILLICIT DISTILLATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11736, 13 September 1902, Page 5

ILLICIT DISTILLATION.

CHRISTCHURCH, September 12. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, James Edward McGrath was charged with havinp been found in possession of an illicit still and a quantity of spirits at Linwood. Accused pleaded guilty. Accused came to the colony a few months ago and took a house where he set up a complete distillery, in company with his. wife and a mail named Sheridan. Sugar and yeast were used in the manufacture of how much of the .spirits as had been manufactured. Counsel for the defence said accused, | after arriving in the colony, did clerical work till he met Sheridan, who told accused i that he (Sheridan) had been engaged in an ; illicit distillery, but had been prosecuted and fined £400. He told him that it was not .illegal to make spirits for private use, and offered to show him how. The two came to, Christchurch, and Sheridan distilled the whisky found. Accused became suspicious that the ..usiness was not legal, and refused to have anything to do with it; , the result was that not an ounce of the spirit was sold. Counsel for the prosecution said accused told the Collector of Customs that he was here to purchase stock, and most of the apparatus was; ingeniously concealed, and accused tried to deny its nature when visited by the Collector, showing that he coulid hardly have thought he was carrying on ! an innocent business. !

Witness stated that he had no evidence against Sheridan, who was old and infirm, and should not have been admitted into the colony had accused not passed him off as his father. The Magistrate said it was a barefaced case, and that) the minimum penalty asked for by counsel for the defence was not sufficient. He therefore fined accused £100, with the alternative of three months' imprisonment, i Thu charge against John Sheridan of being concerned in the unlawful making of spirits was then withdrawn on the application of counsel for the prosecution.

TELEGRAPHIC.