  METHYLATED SPIRITS    ġ CAP. 89. 1
CHAPTER 89 
METHYLATED SPIRITS ORDINANCE
To regulate the importation, sale and disposal of Methylated Spirits.
(3rd July, 1936) *
Enacted by ORDINANCE XV of 1936, as amended by Act XXXVII of
1955; Ordinance XVI of 1960; Legal Notice 4 of 1963; and Act XIII of
1983.
Short title.
Ordinance.
Interpretation. 
Amended by: 
XXXVII. 1955.2; 
XVI.1960.3.
2. In this Ordinance - 
"Industrial Methylated Spirits", "Gummed Methylated Spirits",
"Mineralised Methylated Spirits" and "Mineralised Methylated
Spirits (Domestic)" mean respectively the different kinds of
methylated spirits enumerated in section 3 of this Ordinance;
"officer" means officer of Customs and Excise or a member of
the Police Force;
"prescribed", "approved" and "authorized" mean respectively
prescribed, approved and authorized by the Comptroller of
Customs.
Industrial 
Methylated Spirits. 
Amended by: 
XXXVII.1955.3.
3. (1) Spirits shall be deemed to be Industrial Methylated
Spirits if to every ninety parts by volume of spirits, ten parts by
volume of wood naphtha have been added and to every one hundred
parts of the mixture, one-half of one part of crude pyridine has been
added.
Gummed 
Methylated Spirits.
(2) Spirits shall be deemed to be Gummed Methylated Spirits if
to every ten litres of Industrial Methylated Spirits not less than one
kilo of shellac or other approved resin has been added.
Mineralised 
Methylated Spirits.
(3) Spirits shall be deemed to be Mineralised Methylated
Spirits if to every ninety parts by volume of spirits, nine and one-
half parts by volume of wood naphtha and one-half of one part of
crude pyridine have been added: provided, to every hundred litres
of the mixture thirty seven and one-half centilitres of mineral
naphtha (petroleum oil) and not less than one hundred and fifty-five
milligrams of powdered aniline dye (methyl violet) have been
added.
Mineralised 
Methylated Spirits 
(Domestic).
(4) Mineralised Methylated Spirits (Domestic) shall be deemed
to be Mineralised Methylated Spirits as described in subsection (3)
of this section except that the admixture of powdered anyline dye
(methyl violet) will have been omitted.
* See  Proclamation No. XVII of the 3rd of July, 1936.
  2      CAP. 89. ħ                 METHYLATED SPIRITS 
Importation, etc., 
of Mineralised and 
Gummed 
Methylated Spirits 
not subject to 
restriction. 
Amended by: 
XXXVII.1955.4.
4. Saving the provisions of any other law and the provisions
of sections 10 and 13 of this Ordinance, the importation, sale or
disposal of Mineralised Methylated Spirits, Mineralised
Methylated Spirits (Domestic) and Gummed Methylated Spirits is
not subject to any restriction.
Licence required to 
import, etc., 
Industrial, 
Methylated Spirits. 
Amended by: 
XVI. 1960.3.
5. No person shall import, keep for sale, sell or otherwise
dispose of Industrial Methylated Spirits without a licence from the
Comptroller of Customs, subject to such conditions as the
Comptroller may impose.
Restrictions as to 
sale.
6. (1) No licensed dealer in Industrial Methylated Spirits
shall sell or deliver any such spirits except to persons authorized in
writing to receive the same and on production of such written
authority.
(2) The authority so produced shall be retained and filed by the
seller.
Dealers to keep 
account of 
purchases and 
sales.
7. (1) Every dealer in Industrial Methylated Spirits must keep
an account of all purchases and sales of such spirits.
(2) Such accounts shall at all reasonable times be open to
inspection by any officer who may take any extract therefrom.
Sale by dispensing 
chemists for 
medical etc., 
purposes. 
Amended by: 
XVI.1960.3.
8. The Comptroller of Customs may authorize an apothecary,
on an application by him in the prescribed form, and subject to such
conditions as the Comptroller may prescribe, to sell Industrial
Methylated Spirits, in any quantity not exceeding two litres at a
time, to any medical practitioner, dentist, veterinary surgeon, or to
any hospital on a written order signed by a medical practitioner,
dentist or veterinary surgeon.
Persons may be 
authorised to 
receive Industrial 
Methylated Spirits 
for use in any art, 
manufacture, etc. 
Amended by: 
XVI. 1960.3.
9 (1) The Comptroller of Customs may, subject to such
conditions as he may impose, authorize any person to receive
Industrial Methylated Spirits for use in any art or manufacture or
for any other approved purpose.
(2) Application for such authority shall be made in the
prescribed form.
Drums, etc., 
containing 
methylated spirits 
to be numbered 
and marked.
10. Every drum or package containing methylated spirits shall
be distinctly numbered and marked with the quantity and
description of the methylated spirits contained therein.
Regulations. 
Amended by: 
L.N. 4 of 1963.
11. The Minister responsible for Customs may, from time to
time, make, and when made, vary or repeal regulations for carrying
into effect the provisions of this Ordinance, as well as for
suspending the operation of this Ordinance, either absolutely or
conditionally, in regard to any Industrial Methylated Spirits which
may have been released for consumption in Malta before the
commencement of this Ordinance.
Fee for and 
duration of licence 
under s. 5.
12. (1) A fee of five cents shall be charged for every licence
issued under section 5.
(2) Every such licence expires on the 31st day of December of
  METHYLATED SPIRITS    ġ CAP. 89. 3
the year in which it is issued.
Drums, etc., 
improperly marked 
etc., liable to 
forfeiture. 
Amended by: 
XVI. 1960.3.
13. Every drum or package containing methylated spirits,
which is not numbered and marked as provided in section 10 of this
Ordinance, shall, at the discretion of the Comptroller of Customs,
be liable to forfeiture together with its contents.
Offences and 
penalties. 
Amended by: 
XXXVII.1955.5; 
XIII.1983.4,5.
14. (1) Every person who, in contravention of this Ordinance
or of any regulations made thereunder - 
( a ) imports, keeps, sells, retails or otherwise disposes of
any Industrial Methylated Spirits without a licence; 
( b ) is in any way knowingly concerned in any evasion or
attempt at evasion of the provisions of this Ordinance; 
( c ) obstructs any officer of Customs or other authorized
person in the execution of his duty under this
Ordinance, or in carrying into effect any provision of
this Ordinance or of any regulations made thereunder;
or
( d ) aids, abets or assists in committing any of the
foregoing offences,
Cap. 9.
shall for every such offence be liable to a fine ( multa ) not
exceeding one hundred liri or to pay treble the value of the goods in
respect on which the offence is committed including the duty
thereon, whichever is the larger sum, and the offender may be
detained or prosecuted by summons, in the same manner or form,
and subject to all other provisions laid down in the Criminal Code.
(2) Any person who sells, exposes or keeps for sale or
otherwise disposes of any methylated spirit diluted with water or
adulterated with any liquid other than those mentioned in
subsection (3) of section 3 and in the proportions therein laid down,
shall be guilty of an offence under this Ordinance and shall be
liable to a fine ( multa ) of not less than five liri (Lm5) but not
exceeding ten liri (Lm10) in the case of a first offence under this
subsection and in the case of a second or subsequent offence under
this subsection of not less than ten liri (Lm10) but not exceeding
fifty liri (Lm50), or, in either case to a fine ( multa ) equal to three
times the current retail price of a quantity of undiluted and
unadulterated methylated spirit of the kind to which the offence
relates, equal to that ascertained to have formed the object of the
offence, whichever is the larger sum.
