A Private Still found near Lowry Bay.

Manawatu Herald, 16 June 1894, Page 3

A Private Still found near Lowry Bay.

At .lour o'clock on Wednesday morning a party of five set out from the Central Police Station, Lambton Quay. They consisted of Mr 1). McKellar (Collector of Customs), Mr Jackman (formerly of the Customs Department), a Customs officer named H. "Walter, Acting-Detective Gantley and Constable Ward, and the object of their journey was to search for a private still which was believed to exist somewhere in the neighborhood of Gollan's Valley. After a long drive in the direction of Lowry Bay the party left the Tehicle, and then commenced a long and arduous search for the still, in which every inch of ground for about seven miles was covered. About 1 o'clock the fumes of whisky greeted their nostrils, and about two chains further on they discovered that which they had come to find. It proved on examination to be a distillery of the most coinpiste description. The spot is locally known as 11 The Jungle." It is situated in the heart of the bush, and is about two and a half miles up the valley, and two miles beyond Day's Bay. The place is admirably adapted for the purpose it has been put to, and it is located near a creek, and is perfectly secure" from observation. That the distillation of spirits on a large scale had been carried on there was shown by the presence of a 50-gallon copper, 50 feet of galvanised iron piping, a copper strainer, a condensing apparatus about BOlt long, a quarter-cask containing about 18 gallons of fermented liquor, a quarter- cask with about 20 gallons of whisky, a hogshead containing about 80 gallons of spirits, three octaves, containing 14 gallons, 10 gallons, and 8 gallons of whisky respectively, a 500-gallon vat lined with zinc, another vat of wood of about the same capacity, a potato masher made out of a barrel, a quantity of potatoes, beetroot, sugar aud isinglass, copper and clofch strainers, and tools of every description that could possibly b 3 required in the carrying on of a distillery. On a rise above the creek was a hut, which had evidently been occupied, and there was also a neatly-constructed dam, the water being led from the creek by means of galvanised iron pipes and hose. The distillery was of such a size that it would be capable of turning

out 50 gallons of whisky a day,- and dray triarks in the vicinity Seemed to point to tlie conclusion th^t a quantity had been carted a\vay from the still only a few hours previously. After an inventory was taken of the articles found there, which occupied some considerable time, preparations were made for bringing them into town. A cart was procured, and most of the articles were placed upon itj although these had first to be carried a considerable distance, as it was impossible to get the vehicle close up to the still. Even then the troubles of the party were not ended. So bad were the roads that more than once the cart got stuck in the mud, and then there was nothing to do but to unload it, take it to a firmer part of the road, carry the heavy utensils for some distance, and load up again. This happened four or five times, and necessitated each and every one of the party working hard to overcome the difficulties of the occasion. At length, however, they reached the place where they had left the cab in which Mr McKellar, Mr Jackman, and Acting ■ Detective Gantloy came on to Wellington, reaching the city shortly after 9 p.m., leaving Walter and Ward to follow with the goods which had been seized. No arrests have yet been made in connection with the matter. — N.Z. Times. _ ] Since the above was in type, we learn that informations have been sworn against four brothers, Hugh, John, Allan and Charles Cameron, in connection with the finding of the still.]