ILLICIT LIQUOR

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1933, Page 5

ILLICIT LIQUOR

'STILLS ARE ACTIVE AT HOME

DUE TO SPIRITS’ HIGH PRTCE

(United Tress Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, December 3.7

Owing to the high price of spirits (whisky being 12s 6d a bottle), the production of illicit still spirit ho ! tyec-u increasing in the 'industrial J centres. 'Customs and excise men have j been rounding up culprit® this year. > They have seized eleven plants in England and Wales, ten plants in Scotland and eigb’y-ninp plants ' n Uhter. I Those distilleries are difficult to discover. The usual prentice is to confine the sale of their product within a .restricted community. The investigations show that some small stills ha-ve been making a profit of one hundred pounds sterling per month. The illicit home-brewed whisky is a vicious, fiery drink. Usually it is only a lew day s old when it is sold. It is

•often 69 per cent, overproof—compared with the fixed strength of thirty per cent', underproof whisky that is retailed legally -throughout Britain.

Hr the “Smilin’ Thro’ ” art union B 5 prizes were won by “Taffy” Wehcka. (South Westland ; “Mum and Dad's Turn," Arahura; “Couple of 'Mugs,” A rata pu, Grey mouth.