§ MR. JAMES O'CONNOR (Wicklow, W.)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the prosecution of Mr. Hoey, of Victoria Street, Belfast, for blending on his own premises patent still whiskey with pot still whiskey; and to the statement of defendant's counsel that had defendant blended the spirits in a bonded store no legal offence would have been committed; whether under the circumstances he will remit the fine imposed upon the defendant; and whether he will take the necessary steps to prohibit by legislation the blending of patent and pot still whiskey in bond as well as out of bond.
(Answered by Mr. Asquith.) Mr. Hoey committed a serious breach of the Revenue regulations by tampering with spirits in transit under bond from one Customs warehouse to another, and I am unable to recommend the remission of the fine imposed by the magistrates. The blending of spirits is legal either in bond or out of bond, provided that the regulations made for the protection of the Revenue are not infringed, and I see no reason for altering the law.