H. S. Cordery, collector of customs at Invercargill, and Detective Sergeant Hewitt stand behind an illegal still which they had raided at Ferndale, near Gore, in 1933. The heavy duties on imported spirits and the excise on locally produced alcohol encouraged both smuggling and illicit stills. The Customs Department became heavily involved in policing such activities. Cordery was known as the ‘Hammer of the Scots’ because of his zeal in raiding stills around Southland.
Image courtesy of S. Young and the Hokonui Moonshine Museum
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Gore Historical Museum
Reference: Moonshine Gallery
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