WINE MAKING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 14, 16 July 1931, Page 11

WINE MAKING

LOCAL INDUSTRY

PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL

Proposal for the assistance of, the ■wine growing industry in New Zealand are contained in the Licensing Amendment Bill, introduced into the House of Eepresentatives yesterday by Mr. H. G. E. Mason (Labour, Auckland Suburbs). i. The measure proposes that wine growers shall be allowed to co-operate by selling each other's wine'instead of each grower, being confined to the sale of his own product as at present; that 'the licensing - authority shall have power to grant the grower the right to use more than one depot for sales; and that the minimum amount of any sale shall bo one reputed quart instead of the present two gallons. Mr. Mason informed the House that the purpose of the Bill was to give , some relief and encouragement to the local wine growing industry, which at present suffejed hostility from two <■ powerful factors —neither the licensed Trade nor the Prohibitionists were inclined to look kindly upon it. . By,the licensed Trade it was regarded as being something in the . nature of a rival, and the Prohibitionists regarded .it as an extension of the licensed Trade, so that between the two the industry received scant consideration. Bemarkable evidence had been given as to the Dominion's adaptability to grape N growing, and if there were t<j be wioe drinking in New Zealand, as| there was, surely it should be of the product of the local industry. At large quantities of wines were imported, and while it was not suggested that wine should be consumed for the sake of 'encouraging a, local industry, it was maintained that where wine was wanted it should be the local wine. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (United, Waitomo) said it was highly desirable that the wine grower should be encouraged, and he believed that as far as possible the'present restrictions should be eliminated and the grower given es frse & land as others in the marketing Of hia product. " ' • The Bill was read a first time.