Still Licences Act, 1846

STILL LICENCES ACT 1846

CHAPTER XC

An Act to prevent the Use of Stills by unlicensed Persons. [26th August 1846.]

[Preamble recites 6 Geo. 4. c. 81]

Excise duty on stills.

[1.] There shall be raised, levied, collected, and paid unto her Majesty, in and throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the duty of excise following; (that is to say,)

For every excise licence to be taken out by every person, not being a licensed distiller, rectifier or compounder of spirits, or vinegar maker, who keeps or uses any still or retort, the sum of ten shillings.

Licence to be renewed annually.

Penalty for keeping, &c. still without licence.

6 Geo. 4. c. 81. applied.

2. Every such licence shall be renewed yearly, and the said sum of ten shillings shall be yearly paid, by every person keeping or using any still or retort, so long as any still or retort is kept or used as aforesaid; and every such licence shall be in force until the fifth day of July in each year, and shall then expire; and if any person keeps or uses any still or retort without taking out such licence as by this Act required, or without renewing the same as aforesaid, every person so offending shall forfeit the sum of fifty pounds; and all provisions, clauses, matters, and things contained in the Excise Licences Act, 1825, shall be applied to this Act, and to the several provisions, clauses, matters, and things in this Act contained, as fully and effectually as if the same had been repeated and re-enacted in the body of this Act.

Duty to be under the management of the commissioners of excise.

3. The duty by this Act imposed shall be under the management of the commissioners of excise for the time being, and shall be raised, levied, collected, recovered, paid over, and accounted for, in such and the like manner, and in or by any of the general or special ways, means, or methods, by which any other duties of excise are or may be raised, levied, collected, recovered, paid over, and accounted for; and all such licences respectively shall be in such form as the commissioners of excise direct, and shall be granted by the said commissioners, or their officers duly authorized to graut licences under any law or laws of excise.

Stills in the possession of unlicensed persons to be forfeited.

Commissioners may permit the use of stills for experiments in chemistry, and by traders or others for the manufacture of articles other than spirits, &c.

4. Every still, or still head, or worm of a still, shall be forfeited which is found in the custody or possession of any person not being a person known as a regular maker of stills [1 and, if in Scotland or Ireland, being a person licensed in that respect] and such still, still head, or worm being gauged or marked as there by law required, and, it m Ireland, being accompanied by permit on removal thereof, and such person not being a licensed distiller, rectifier or compounder of spirits, or vinegar maker, or a person licensed to keep and use such still under this Act: Provided always, that the commissioners of excise may permit the keeping and using of any still or stills for experiments in chemistry, under such regulations as they think fit: Provided also, that the commissioners of excise may permit the keeping and using of any still or stills, by persons carrying on trade, or otherwise, for the manufacture of any articles other than spirits or spirit mixtures, upon every person who has a still giving notice thereof to the nearest officer of excise, and conforming to such regulations as the commissioners of excise think fit to direct, before beginning to use any still as last aforesaid.

[1 Words in brackets rep. 38 & 39 Vict. c. 66. (S.L.R.)]