STORY OF A KEG OF WHISKY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3746, 26 January 1928, Page 3

STORY OF A KEG OF WHISKY.

Just prior to Christmas a Wellington firm of merchants forwarded a five gallon keg of whisky to a settler at Ure River, about 40 miles from. Blenheim, who, it is alleged, refused to accept delivery as he had riot ordered it. The liquor was returned to Blenheim by service car and deposited in a garage awaiting further instructions. While it was in the garage someone who did not know its history but read the address which still remained on it, placed it on a car and sent it back to the Ure. Again delivery was not effected, and the keg was left in a shoi'tage shed-for the time being, ft was on Boxing Day that ine Neil McPherson, a Caledonian, aged 52 years, apparently feeling the urge of companionship of something as Scotch as himself, discovered the amber fluid in its resting place, and promptly annexed it. Gathering a few bosom pals about it he broached the keg, and ere its disappeavr ance from the' shed had been noticed, nearly half the five gallons had been consumed. A d'ay or two after the spree Constable Byrne, of Seddoiu was asked to make inquiries as to the whereabouts of the keg. The result was the appearance of McPherson in the Police Court at Blenheim to answer a charge of having committed the theft of the whisky, which was valued at £2l. The accused pleaded guilty. The police sergeant said that £9 10s worth’ of whisky had been drunk, hut the rest was in hand. McPherson, he added was “a very decent chap” when he left liquor alone, hut on the day of the theft he was under the influence of drink. The Court imposed a fine of £5 and ordered payment of £9 10s for the whisky consumed, and the return of the balance remaining in the much-travelled keg.