Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 8.djvu/57

This page needs to be proofread.

w A. D. I757» Anno tricefimo Georgh II. C. ro. 23 CAP. X. An A(5t to prohibit for a limited Time the making of Low Wines and Spirits from Wheat, Barley, Malt, or any other Sort of Grain, or from any Meal or Flour. HE R E AS it is expedient that the Diftillation or Extraftion of Low Wines or Spirits from aecw.'a. C 15! Wheat, Barley, Malt, and all other Sorts of Grain, fliould be prohibited for a limited Time ;' ^-jGeo.i. en. Be it t'herefore ena6ted by the King's mod: excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Wheat and ail Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament allembled, and by the Autho- ^^^^i g^j P^|,"r rity of the fame. That from and after the eleventh Day of March one thoufand feven hundred and fifty- prohibited to be'- feven, no Low Wines or Spirits whatfoever Ihall be made, extracted, or dillilled, within this Kingdom, majeure of ia from any Wheat, Barley, Malt, or any other Sort of Grain, or from any Meal or Flour, for and during Diftillation for the Space of two Calendar Months. t^" ^^°"*« J r continued by II. And be it further enabled by the Authority aforefaid, That if during the Time before limited, anyn J^ec. 1757. Diftiller, or Maker of Low Wines or Spirits, or any other Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, fliall make, on Penalty of extraft or diftill, or caufe or procure to be made, extracted or diftilled, any Low Wines or Spirits, from '-'^'o'- and For- any Wheat, Barley, Malt, or other Grain, or from any Meal or Flour ; or {hall ufe or mix, or caufe or ^ "" ^^ "^l^jj procure to be ufed or mixed, any Wheat, Barley, Malt, or other Grain, or any Meal or Flour, in any t},g wincs and Worts or Wafh, in order for the making, extradling or diftilling Low Wines or Spirits; or (hall put Spirit«, &c. or lay, or caufe or procure to be put or laid, in any Fun, Wafti-batch, Cafk, Copper, Still, or other Veflcl or Utenfil, any Wheat, Barley, Malt or other Grain, or jany Meal or Flour, for the Purpofe of preparing any Worts or Wafh, or for making, extracting or dilHlling Low Wines or Spirits, whether fuch Tun, Waflibatch, Cafk, Copper, Still, or other Veflel or Utenfil, hath or hath not been duly en- tered at the Excife Office ; that then and in each and every of the faid Cafes, fuch Distiller or Maker of Low Wines or Spirits, or other Perfon or Perfons adting contrary to the Directions of this Act, or the Perfon or Perfons in whofe Cuftody or Poffeffion any fuch Tun, Wafhbatch, Cafk, Copper, Still, or other Veflel or Utenfil, which fhall be made ufe of, contrary to the Intention of this A<5t, fhall be found, fliall refpectively for every fuch Offence, forfeit and pay the Sum of two hundred Pounds; and all fuch Wheat, Barley, Malt, and other Grain, and fuch Meal and Flour, and fuch Worts and Wafh, Low Wines and Spirits, fhall be alfo forfeited, III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any Wheat, Wheat Meal, or All Wheat, &c. Wheat Flour, fhall within the Time herein before limited, be found in any Workhoufe, Stillhoufe, founJ within ths Storchoufe, Warehouf^, or any other Place, wherein Low Wines or Spirits, or Worts or Wafh, fhall '^'"}5,^"["^^'^' '." be made, extracted, diftilled or prepared, or where any Low Wines or Spirits, or Worts or Wafh, fhall ^^^ belonging to have been made, extradted, diftilled or prepared, fince the firft Day of "January one thoufand feven hun- a Diftilier for- dred and fifty-feven, all fuch Wheat, Meal and Flour fhall be forfeited, and the Perfon or Perfons in felted, and icol, whofe PofTefHon fuch Workhoufe, Stillhoufe, Storehoufe, Warehoufe, or Place fliall be, fhall for every fuch Olrence refpe£tively, alfo forfeit and pay the Sum of one hundred Pounds. IV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid. That during the Time herein before limited, Officer, &c. may it fhall be lawful for any Perfon or Perfons, who fhall be authorifed for that Purpofe by the Commif- enter fufpefted fioners of Excife for the Time being, or any two or more of them, within the Limits of the chief ^°"^*^' Office of Excife in London^ or by one or more Juftiee or Juftices of the Peace in any other Part of Great Britainy at any Time or Times, with any Officer of Excife, to enter into any Workhoufe, Still- houfe, Storehoufe, Warehoufe, or any other Place wherein any Low Wines or Spirits, or Worts or Wafh fhall be, or are fufpe<fted to be made, extracted, diftilled or prepared, or wherein Low Wines or Spirits, or Worts or V7afh fhall have been made, extracted, diftilled or prepared, fince the firft Day of January one thoufand (even hundred and fifty-feven, and fhall have free Admittance into the fame, and may infpeit all the Materials, Vefl'els and Utenfils therein contained (giving thereby as little Interruption ^"'^ in/fie£l the as may be to the Bufinefs which fhall be carrying on) ; and in cafe any fuch Officer of Excife, fhali ^^ve ^^^^^^"^'.^'^,^'"^. Reafon to fufpect that any Wheat, Barley, Malt or other Grain, Meal or Flour, is mixed in any Worts " "^ lereinj or Wafh, or in any other Material or Preparation, for making, extradting or diftilling Low Wines or Spirits, it fhall be lawful for fuch Officer, at any Time or Times during the faid Term, upon Payment of two Shillings and fix Pence, to take a Sample not exceeding two Quarts, of any fuch Worts or and take Sam- V/afh, Material or Preparation, v/hich fnall be found in any fuch Houfe or other Place aforefaid; and P'"' paying for in cafe any Diftiller or Maker of Low Wines or Spirits, or the Owner or Occupier of any fuch Houfe nrftm"-^" or Place, or any Workman or Servant to any fuch Diftiller, Owner or Occupier belonging, fhall refufs Admit^t'ance" o"^ to admit fuch Perfon or Perfons as fhall be fo authorifed, or any Officer of Excife, into any fuch Houfe obftrufting bfH- cr Place, or fhall obftrud^ or hinder any fuch Officer or Perfon or Perfons, in making fuch InfpedHon cer fofeits lool. as aforefaid, or fhall not allow any fuch Officer to take fuch Sample, after the faid Sum of two Shillings and fix Pence fhall be paid or tendered for the fam^, fuch Diftiller, Owner or Occupier, fliall for every fuch Offence refpe£tively, forfeit and pay the Sum of one hundred Pounds ; and it fhall be lawful for and the Officer any fuch Officer of Excife, or other Perfon or Perfons authorifed as aforefaid, having a V/arraat for that J^^y ("eizf, and Purpofe from any two or more of the CommiiTioners of Excife, or any Juftiee or Juftices refpedtively as ""7^' ^"^'^ *^* aforefaid, to feize, take and carry away, all fuch Wheat, Wheat Meal, and Wheat Floar, as fhall be fou^^^,'^' found in any fuch Houfe or other Place, together with all the Sacks, Bags, and other Things in which the faid Commodities fhall be contained. 3 V. And "