Page 9 Advertisements Column 4

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17631, 7 December 1922, Page 9

Hear what Mr. Harold Beauchamp has to say. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, December 5. Interviewed by a "New Zealand Times" reporter to-night, Mr Harold Beauchamp, the well-known financial authority, said: I have been strongly urged to make a pronouncement ai to what is likely to be the effect on the public finances in the event of Prohibition being carried in this Dominion. In my opinion there can be no doubt whatever that, in the event of this country becoming "dry," it will be exceedingly difficult—in fact, almost impossible—to raise revenue from any other source without inflicting undue hardship to the great bulk of the taxpayers to replace that now raised by the duty on alcoholic liquors. At the moment all classes of the community are taxed to the hilt owing to the perilous times through which we are passing, and thousands are struggling to keep their heads abo-re water. To place, any additional burden upon them would therefore be most calamitous. Having recently visited Canada, I had an opportunity of comparing the prosperity of the province of Quebec, where the sale of liquor is controlled by the State, with the depressed condition of other provinces of that Dominion where the sale is prohibited. In Quebec the profit to the Government from this source is not less than £2,000,000 per annum, estimated to be sufficient to extinguish the debt of that province in less than 15 yean. These " ures speak for themselves.