SPENT ON LUXURIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 171, 21 July 1928, Page 12

SPENT ON LUXURIES.

LESS BEER AND TOBACCO. DROP IN TEA AND SUGAR. REFLEX OF HARD TIMES. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary WELLING! OX. this dav. A reflection of hard times may be seen in the annual retina of the consumption of articles in common use. Per head of population. Xew Zealauders last year consumed less Dominionbrewed beer than in any year for which statistics are available. The actual average was 12.6 gallon#. a- against 13.1 in 1926. The record consumption since 1907 was 18 gallons per head in the boom year of 1920. Last year a total population of 1,009.40."> con-umed 12.715.469 gallons, on which £611.501 duty was paid, representing 12/11 per head. There was an increase in the consumption of spirits, the amount being 1.76 gallons against 1.65 in 1926. From 19U7 till 1921 the consumption of >pirits was over two gallons per head, being nearly three gallons in 1915. The duty on spirits last year totalled £1.393.485. The consumption of tobacco has also decreased, the amount of revenue paid, £660,265, being considerably lower than for the past five years. Tea also has been consumed in lesser quantities, the duty per head being id, as against Id in 1926, and the total revenue (£3101) less than for the past ten years. A big reduction in duty was made in 1923. Sugar was consumed in much less quantities last year, the average being 94.91b. as compared with 1221b in 1926. The present consumption per head is below pre-war standard. Th# average for ad valorem goods has also dropped.