THE DISTILLATION ACT.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 426, 11 December 1868, Page 2

THE DISTILLATION ACT.

In the Distillation Act passed last session, and which comes into force on the first of January, there is a clause relating to spirit selling merchants, which should receive their attention. It is the 135 th, and reads as follows :—" It shall not be lawful for any person to sell spirits, wine, or fermented liquor upon which the duty shall have been paid, and in quantities of two gallons or upwards, unless holding a publican's license, without

having first registered his name with the Collector of Customs, if residing within five miles of any Custom House, or the Clerk of Resident Magistrate's Court or Court of- Petty Sessions nearest to the place of business of such person at which a Court is or shall be established, or at an office of the Chief Inspector of Distilleries, and also a particular description of the premises in which the sale of spirits ■nail be carried on and in which spirits shall be kept and stored, and such registration shall be renewed on the first day of every year, not being a Sunday. And that said Collector of Customs Clerk of such Court or other officer shall give to every person registered as aforesaid a certificate, which certificate shall be presented to the Chief Inspect ,r of Distilleries or other arthorised officer when the payment of the license fee is made ; and if any person shall carry on the busiuessof wine and spirit merchant without having completed the registration of his name and premises and procure a license he shall be liable to a penalty of no less than ten pounds or more than fifty pounds, or at the option of the person suing for the same to a penalty not exceeding five pounds for every day that he shall fail or neglect to make such registration and procure such license.'' Every wine and spirit merchant, and every brewer who shall have registered his name, must pay certain annual fees to the Chief Inspector of Distilleries, or to any other persons appointed to receive the same. Particular care has been taken by the Act to put a stop to the practice of using deleterious drugs, such as cocculus indicus, nux vomica, tobacco, opium, grains of paradise, &c, in the brewing of beer, ale, or porter. The penalty for the first offence is fixed at £2OO, and subsequent offences shall be considered a misdemeanor, and upon conviction the person shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding =£soo, and to be imprisoned for any period not exceeding two years, with or without hard labor. If any of the drugs mentioned in the A.ct are found in the possession of a brewer, or retailer of beer, he will be liable to a penalty of £SO; and any person who shall knowingly sell, dispose, send or deliver to any brewer or retailer of beer any of the said drugs, or any extract, decoction, infusion, or other preparation thereof, otherwise than for medical purposes, shall be liable to a penalty of £SO.

Further information as to the clauses of the Act may be obtained at the Custom House.