A WHISKY STILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 325, 18 January 1909, Page 4

A WHISKY STILL.

THE DISOOVJiIIY AT WAIIII. A mild sensation was caused al Wullrt by the discover}' liy the polici ul' n whisky still and a compelle plant apparently used fur the manufacluK jf tlit> liquor, oil private premises u.l tho east cud of the township. Tin police ollieer in charge of tile districl ((■sergeant M'«luunou) had for sour lour weeks »'iispect«l l-he existence ol an illicit still, and about three week; ago he directed Constables Driscoli urn Miles to investigate the matter. It was not until early on Tuesday moriiiujj that .their efforts were brought tc fruition, when sufficient evidence hat been .procured to satisfy them that tin sergeant's suspicions were well foundeJ The scngca'nt then rtiiuuninicatcd will Inspector Kiely, of tho Thames, win. arrived in Wiilii later in the day, nut after laying an information and procuring the necessary -search warrant, 11k insipector, Sergeant Melviiinon, am three constables visited the residence o] a man ■named William (_'hristo-ph'.:i iMiiidens in Stratford Slid. Waihi East The ollicers tit the law arrived on th. scene about live o'clock, kicked open tin door of the washhousc, wiiich was fast cued from the inside, and there foum ■Maidens and a man nanml Wiliam I jack together with tin- slill fully charged distilling opemlHMs evidently being ii 'progress. The search disclosed the ex iMeiiee «f a -still full of material foi making whisky, a hogshead containin; ■about :!'S yillons of fermenting liquid ami various other utensils such as ma; be used in spirit making. The wiish ihouse also (iiiuaincd some small einptj 'kegs, and from the appearance of tin 'place geiH'i-wlly the police are of tin opinion that the stilljias been running 'for some time. The plant was sei/xH ■ami the men arrested. When the chargi was read Maid-ens said they were mat ing a little drop for their own use. ' At. the Police Court the men wen 'charged as follows:—Maidens with hav ■ing in his possession up'on his premise! a still without having first obtained f license for the same, and Luck with un ■lawfully assisting Maidens in unlaw ■fully making spirits. Tile Bench ro iiitinded the men for seven days, allow ing bail, the accused in £l5O each am "two sureties of £l5O each. ' Maidens ami ljiiclc are both niarriei me'n, the former being a miner and tin later a bushinun. i Some years ago it was rumoured tlial illicit spirits were being iwimifacturet in the district, but nothing came of it the present being the first instanci 'wiheru the existence of a still has beer disclosed in Waihi.