THE LIQUOR TRADE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16205, 7 May 1918, Page 7

THE LIQUOR TRADE.

PROPOSED STATE PURCHASE IN BRITAIN. (By Cable.—Presa Association.—Copyright.) auu cuuiu Assccitiuuii.j X/QjNDUN, May 5. The English, eiaii, tocottisii, and Irisn Liyuur Uratle i'uiauce uoinmitu.*es, whiio avoiding quebtions of policy, propose Ueiimtc Wuis tor tho istaie purchase of the trade. The gross total will bo over £4UO,UUO,(JUO, and substantially less than £ouU,(j(jo,(X)o. The committors do not contemplate that the purciiaso will be carried out until after the war, but the Htato could take control of the trade earlier, by giving a plcdgt< of ultimate purchase, aftor which the State would be free to ret organise and consolidate tho trade at will. The English Committee considers that the inclusion of the English wholesale dealers is unnecessary, as they are dealing so largely in foreign wines and spirits. , The committees agree on tho inclusion of the export trade, but exclude the majority of hotels, clubs, railway refreshment rooms, theatre bars, steamer bars, dining cars, and also the allied trade.

The committees recommend the purchase of the following interests: — First, brewories and distilleries, including tho premises; second, free houses; third, tho interests of "on" licenso and "off" license holders.

The English Committee recommends tho issue of special Government stock for payment, and that tho trade should bo bought out on the basis of the profit it was earning before the war and capitalised on a pre-war basis, but that the amount should be written down to tho standard of capital values at tho timo the purchase was completed. The committee recommend that breweries should be acquired on a la years' purchase, based on tho not profits for four years, from 1910 to 1913 (both inclusive).

Scotland's recommendation is inat breweries should be taken on an eight years' purchase, based on the 1911-13 profits.

Ireland's recommendation is that breweries should bo on a 13. years' purchase, based on the profits of five years immediately before tho war. The Irish Committee recommends, in default of State purchase, that Irish liconses should be reduced by at least ono-half. with compensation. The English Committee estimates the cost at £350.000,000, and the Scottish at £61,000,000. Tho Irish Committee does not furnish an estimate.