FARMER FINED £l00

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22009, 10 April 1943, Page 6

FARMER FINED £loo

SPIRITS FOUND ON PROPERTY LARGE QUANTITY SEIZED AUCKLAND, Saturday The discovery of spirits in a shed on a farm near Putaruru was related in the Magistrate’s Court before Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., when Thomas Gingles, farmer, Te Waotu, admitted a charge of being a person on whose premises certain spirits contained in 100 quart bottles and one five-gal-lon jar, on which full duty had not been paid, were found. The Crown Solicitor. Mr V. R. Meredith, prosecuted, and Mr Terry appeared for defendant. Mr Meredith said the spirits, which were found in a shed when defendant’s property was visited by customs officials and detectives, were analysed and found to be 88.6 per cent alcoholic. The spirits were in sacks covered with grass, indicating that they wpre ready for transport. Defendant explained that he made the spirits by fermenting plums, but the spirits were distilled. Howr ever, there was no charge of distilling spirits. Mr Terry said there was no evidence of a still in spite of a search by experienced detectives. That supported, to a degree, defendant’s suggestion that he had successfully fermented plums. It was amazing that some evidence had not been obtained. “The amount of illicit trading in spirits is more or less notorious at present,” said Mr Levien. The conclusion to be drawn from an ordinary farmer having such an amount in his possession was that he was in the business up to his neck. Defendant was fined £IOO and an order was made for the forfeiture of the liquor. Argument was to be submitted concerning the forfeiture of the jar containing five gallons.