Mr. Bax Still Eager To Make Whisky

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1948, Page 7

Mr. Bax Still Eager To Make Whisky

WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. . Claiming that he .could produce Irish blend whisky eqnal in strength and purity.to any now. imported into the coiintry, Charles • John Bax, of Kaiwprra, Wellington, today petitioned the House pf . Representatives for a licence to distal whisky. In a similar petition Mr,i.Ba^f last. year was unsuccessful. In the petition presented today by Mr. C.,H. ..Chapman (Wellington Central) hp clainied he could produce •whisky withput (using grain, relying on pig potatoes, second grade sugar and molasses. Mr. Bax says his process is econoiijiic and gives an exceptionallv high yield. No import licence for machinery or plant would be necessary. To safeguard the State against loss of revenue he would be prepared to pay a reasonable excise duty and to operate through a bonded store. Aithough an overseas distillery was interested in liis process, he preferred to retain the formulae himself if given an opportunity to produce whisky in New Zealand. Mr. Bax said it did not seem to refleet tlie true con'cepts of the impartiality of British justice, to penalise tlie ambitions' or aspirations of any man who, more through ignorance than wilful intent, was apprehended and fined for exporimenting in the distillation of spirits in an cndeavour to ,perfect a process which. he believed, would be of commercial value and would alford the opportunitv to pioneer a new industry in the Dominion.