The Westport Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1874.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1163, 31 March 1874, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1874.

The report by the Chief Inspector of Distilleries, on tho Distillery Branch of the New Zealand Customs Department, as presented to both Houses o" the General Assembly, and now in circulation for the benefit of the gene-' ral public, presents some points of interest. After referring to the various laws affecting distillation, and the consolidation of tho imperfect and disjointed Acts into one comprehensive measure, " The Distillation Act, ISGB," the report refers to the despatch of an officer of the New Zealand Customs to Melbourne to make himself acquainted with the routine work of supervising a distillery, and also to ascertain tho essential points to be attended to in the construction of distillery buildings before the granting of a license, and the character of the various appliances. This work accomplished, the officer was appointed Chief Inspector, and the Collector of Customs at the various ports, and several officers of the police were appointed Inspectors, to exercise powers for the suppression of illicit distillation. Tho system of check in operation makes it imperative that the distilling process should be entirely under the control of the customs officers, who are required to secure the still and utensils with revenue locks, and which aro not allowed to be open except under proper notice, and the spirits when distilled are conveyed to the distiller's store, where they continue under the control of the officers until removed on presentation of a permit, which serves as a guarantee that duty has been paid or secured on the spirits. The cost of such supervision and control over the two distilleries in operation amounts to £1423 12s 6d per annum. The New Zealand Distillery is capable of producing 100,000 gallons per annum, and the Auckland Distillery 50,000. In Dunedin the raw material used is mostly malt and rye, in Auckland molasses, imported from Honolulu, have been extensively used in the production of spirits. Photographers, chemists, and others using for the purposes of their trades small stills under three gallons capacity are authorised by permit, but when stills above that capacity are used a license is chargeable. Referring to illicit distillation, the report says that although previous to the passing of the Act the offence was rife, yet, judging from the small number of illicit Btills subsequently captured, it is tolerably certain that the low rate of excise duty has rendered illicit distillation unprofitable. Under the Act brewers aro required to pay a license fee of £1 per annum, and their breweries are subject to inspection as a check on adulteration and to prevent the plant being used for tho illicit production of spirits. In reference to this part of the subject the report states that samples of beer collected from the principal breweries in the colony, excepting thoso on the West Coast of the Middle Island, were subjected in the ColonLl Laboratory to a searching examination for deleterious ingredients, but in no cases were any traces discovered. The materials used in four years for the production of spirit were—malt, 70,60 I« bushels, barley, 10,635 bushels, oats, 46S bushels, rye, 2,874 bushels, molasses, 276,005 ibs, wine, 525 gallons, and beer, 11,121 gallons, yielding altogether 199,298 gallons of proof spirits. The consumption of such spirits by the New Zealand public for six months ending June, 1873, was 31,53GT gallons, and of this quantity it may be interesting to know that Nelson consumed 2S gallons only, AVestport, 299 gallons, Grreymouth, 253 gallons, and Hokitika, 444 gallons.

At tho inquest hold upon the body of Mr Shephard, the late editor of the Westland Register, a verdict was returned that the deceased died from congestion of the brain. Tho funeral, which took place soon afterwards, was largely attended, Miss Aitken gave a second entertainment on Friday evening to a well-filled house, and again delighted her audience beyond expression. The programme of dramatic readings comprised au entirely new selection, and was varied by songs and music skilfully rendered by Messrs Munro, Browne, and Crawford. Every one present was delighted, and the entertainment throughout was one of the best ever yet given in Westport. Miss Aitken has since appeared at Charleston, and in lier absence some of her Westport friends and admirers have bestirred themselves to prepare a written address soliciting from her the pleasure of one or more appearances boforo she finally leaves tho Coast. The addrejs has been numerously and most influentially signed, and we have authority for stating that in giving a favorable response, Miss Aitken has expressed a desire that the entertainment may be for the benefit of the District Hospital. Miss Aitken returns from Charleston to-day, and will give her entertainment on Wednesday evening.

A notorious and troublesome character named Mary Rice was on Saturday sentenced to pay a fine of £5 and costs, or in default to suffer two months' imprisonment with hard labor, for being on the previous evening, drunk and disorderly in Palmerston street, and for using indecent language and resisting the police. It was only a week since that she completed a sentence of three months in Westport gaol, and paid £5 instead of completing a further sentence. Wfe have received from the publisher, Mr T. A. Buwden, of the Educational Repository, Wellington, a copy of a new school manual, " Astronomy for beginners who live in the Southern Hemisphere," by Archdeacon Stock. As the name implies, it is descriptive of the apparent motions of the heavenly bodies and their relative positions from a southern point of view, and to the avoidance of much that is puzzling in text books prepared for learners in the Northern Hemisphere. The book is well printed, comprises some useful diagrams, and is sold for fifteenpenco. School teachers will do well to procure a specimen copy. We have received from the publishers a file of the Tasmanian Tribune, published daily at Hobarton. A small paper, sold at one penny, but replete with news. We clin from it one item of interest to New Zealand readers, as referring to a singular gold discovery. The Tribune says:—" The people of Timaru surely are not aware of the wealth lying at their doors. The brig Jane, Captain Westbrook, recently arrived in port with about sixty tons of shingle ballast, procured from the beach at Timaru. A gentleman, desiring a few loads for his garden walk, had some conveyed to his residence, and happened to notice a piece of quartz among it. Upon examination, he found the quartz to be thickly studded with gold. If the reef from which this piece has been detached could be discovered, there would certainly be a rush to Timaru. We think if Mr Evans were to ballast his vessels with quartz like the specimen before us, the timber trade might soon pass into other hands.

A festive gathering of Odd-fellows, has been arranged to come off at Wakefield on Easter Monday, and one feature of the days proceedings will be the presentation of a testimonial to P.P.G.M. C. P. Kearns, the oldest Odd-fellow in Now Zealand. The sale of Nelson wines is now being made a speciality in Christchurch. A Mr George Bonnington, advertises the " Eiwaka," "Motueka," "Motupipi," and " Wakapuaka," wines, all manufactured by old and experienced makers. It wiU interest many old Westport residents to learn that Mr Winstanley, formerly Postmaster here, and late of Invercavgill, has been appointed Chief Postmaster of Marlborough province.

Tho New Zealand Herald of a recent date says : —lt is reported that the approver Sullivan is, at tho instance of the authorities, to be shipped to England. Doubtless, upon his arrival, he will £nd characters to work with in his profession congenial to his instincts. If such a ruffian is to be let loose upon society, England is perhaps tho most fitting place for him. The gaols there will be sufficiently protected to guard him upon his first conviction, which we opine will not be long after his arrival, We learn that already Sullivan has transgresssed against tho discipline of the Auckland gaol, and has been placed in solitary confinement and on low diet by order of the governor.