WHISKY SCARE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1933, Page 8

WHISKY SCARE

- INCREASE .IN ILLICIT LIQUOR.

EXCISEMEN’S BUSY TIME,

Excisemen throughout Britain are r.epoa’ted.‘to be fighiag the illicit whisky menace' which has increased since the imposition of the high spirit duty’ ' A■ •" : ' ■■■■ So-called whisky which can be made at less than 2s6u a gallon and- on. which no duty ha s been paid, has been sold in. London at 8s 6d a bottle. Thu dutyy#lo%J.pnfa gallop tof .whisky i.s 72s' ; 6d. ■■ An -officia,! of the-Customs and Excise Ttepaftment said recently that it was impossible to say to what extent illicit stills were operating at the moment. € *We quickly take action whenever we hear of a ease,'’ he said. “Anyone posa&ssiiig an unlicensed still for distilling spirits ig liable to a line of £SOO under the 'Spirits Act and. there, are other heavy penalties.” The' danger of drinking spirits distilled -in a back room or hillside hut was explained by a prominent West End physician. He said; “In the modern distillery there is a highlytrained. scientific staff whose job it- is io ensure that every precaution against contamination is taken.

“Such precautions aire outside the UCope of ithe ibedroom .distiller and there is a very real danger in this 'whisky.' it. is likely to lead to in l ternal diseases and i 6 best, left severely alono.”