A Brewer Fined.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 854, 31 March 1903, Page 3

A Brewer Fined.

In reference to tho fine of ,£6O, with costs making it over .£7O, with forfeiture of utensils, inflicted on Hivlsted Harley, brewer, of Feilding, the Collector of Customs stated that he had paid an official visit to tho brewery on 25th February last, and found by examination of the books that there should have been eight hogshoads and 36 gallons of beer in stock. He was showu tho barrels supposed to contain this quantity, but on testing two hogsheads and two 36-gallon casks ho found they contained water only. This the brewer called hop tonic. He directed Harley not to move tho casks containing water, but

on the day following on his return from Palmerston he learned at the Post-oifice that Harley had purchased two hogshead stamps and three 36-gallon stamps, and on visiting tho brewery found that tho water casks had apparently run ofi. Constable Healey had tested tho water in tho casks. He had never known beer mado with loss than three bushels to tho hogshead. Tho constable deposed that tho casks that had been tapped with a gimlet contained water. The defendant said the “ hop tonic ” contained all the ingredients of beer, but as the result of an accident to the temperator, the brew had not been a succcossful one. Ben Poole stated he had purchased the spoilt beer as a job lot for £’l 10s for the use of his men. He had taken away two 36-gallon casks of it and knocked the bung

out of tho hogsheads and let it run away. His men and himself had drunk the “ beer ” and liked it. He would have taken away the lot had ho any place to store the hogsheads. His Worship adversely commented on tho evidence given for the defence and inflicted the penalty mentioned.