DOMINION'S DRINK HILL

Grey River Argus, 28 June 1915, Page 7

DOMINION'S DRINK HILL

THE YEAR'S FIGURES. AN INTERESTING RKTUKN. BY THE N KW ZEALAND ALLIANCkJ [PKB PRESS A.SSOCJ ITIO.V — COPYRIGHT-]

WELLINGTON, June 20. The Drink Bill for New Zealand, as calculated by Mr. A. S. Adams, Barrister of Dunedin, and based upon the Customs returns of. the liquor cleared for consumption, and been manufactured in the Dominion, is given below. The New Zealand Alliance points out | that the basis of calculation adopted is the same as used in previous years, [and. as pointed out in the statement for 19V?,, it is probable that the cost' to the actual consumer is more than the figures show. There is an increase in the actual quantity of intoxicating liquor consumed, but the population has also increas. Ed, and the consumption per head of population shows a fractional decrease of "1. 2 of a penny. The particulars are as follows: — Spirits SS7,U(i gallons, at E2 per gallon (increase 10,:»47 gallons). A 11,774--.-93 •> , Wines 15<»511 Gallons, at £2 per galllon, (increase 9,455 gallons), £:il:?022. Imported Beer, 292.550 gallons, at i')/- per gallon, H7,S5n (decrease (i.-UH) ga'lons.) Beer brewed in New Zealand 10,35(5, 240 gallons, 2,071 .245, at 4/- per gallon (Increase :>55,04() gallons. Total for beer .1.9.13 £4,24(5, 357 £3,137 (553. Increase £108,704. Estimates mean population for I!>J-1, ,1,090,329. Members of the Expeditionary Forces who left, the Dominion during the latter half of 11914, 11,998. Add three fourths oli these, S,<)9B. The Maoris census iv 1911 was 49,844 Total 1,149,171. Estimated increase 30,6\52. Cost of liquor per head, 1914, £3 13s lOd. B.S; 1913 £3. 14s. Od. Decrease 1.2 The quantities of different liquors consumed per head of population work out as under: — Spirits 77 gallons. Wines 130 gallons. Beer 20 gallons. The Alliance statement continues: — The minister fcr Defence, speaking at Wellington on May 3Jst, said that, our last estimate of War Expenditure was £300,000 a month. This equals £3,GOO,OOO ;i year. Our expenditure upon intoxicating drink would pay the whole of this ex. penditure on the war, and provide pensions of £2 per week for (5,200 soldiers in addition. If the people could be persuaded to pass a self-denying ordinance and abstain during the w»r fhey could devote to patriotic purposes the sum of £30,24(5,000 saved, and would net only not feel tfie expense but would be richer ut the end of the war. The money thus saved paid into a common fund would provide for all our expenditure in the war, and leave £(500,---000 to be devoted to the relief of suffer ing in Belgium, Poland, IServin, and other distressed countries.