NEW ZEALAND WINES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 118, 21 May 1945, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND WINES

LACK OF PROGRESS "It might be expected that a flourishing native wine industry would have grown up over the years, producing light wines from the juice of grapes grown in New Zealand, and true cider from the juice of New Zealand apples," stated Kenneth Massey Griffin, Government analyst at Auckland, when giving evidence before the Royal Commission on Licensing this morning.

"That this light wine industry has not grown is due, in my opinion, entirely to the policy set out in the regulations, which opened the door to the stretching and. adulteration of New Zealand wines by permitting the addition of sugar up to a maximum of 20 per cent.

"The excuse for this addition of sugar is that the New Zealand grape juices are deficient in sugar, but even if that is true, the building up -of the manufacture of wines from such grape juices would have been a worthy objective, and if the sugar 4s low the alcoholic strength is low and the wines could be more freely consumed, with consequent benefit to the consumer from the natural juices.

Witness stated that he had handled a large number of samples of illicit distilled liquor during the years 1942-44, and he urged that the method of proof should be simplified. He pointed out that the extreme simplicity of the process made it very profitable in times of shortage of spirits. Analyses of spirits sold by sly-groggers showed that a large amount of neutral -spirit was being used in their manufacture. He referred to the high profits obtaining on the "black market" from the manufacture of whisky, brandy, rum and gin. "The purposes for which spirits can be used when the full duty has been paid remain doubtful." said witness. "But the spirits have been legally used in Auckland to manufacture gin and liqueurs, and I have strongly urged the Department concerned that the labelling and prices of such spirits should be more strictly controlled."