AMERICANS AND ALCOHOL

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21086, 10 February 1934, Page 14

AMERICANS AND ALCOHOL

End of Prohibition Conditions VIEWS OF VISITORS l THE TRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, February 9. The repeal of prohibition in the United States and the resumption in many places of the legalised sale of liquor, were commented on by several American tourists who arrived in Auckland by the Matson liner Luriine, which is on an extended cruise of the Pacific. They describe the change as one that was sensibly welcomed by the majority ef the people in the country. A New York man said that, as far as he could judge, the end of prohibition had not been attended by aiw Bacchanalian excesses. "There "were parties in plenty," he said, "and the return of legal liquor was toasted in real liquor, but most people were only drinking legally whereas before they had been drinking illegally, and I hardly know that this made the liquor taste any better. "As soon as the repeal of the eighteenth amendment was officially announced the grocers' shops and drug stores arranged window displays of dozens of bottles of wine and spirits," he said "Some of them even anticipated the announcement by a few hours. It was certainly strange to see crowds lined up on the sidewalks peering into the windows at rows and rows of bottles. Most oE them seemed to think that it was too good to be true. In some cases the oriccs asked for the liquor for the first day or so after the end of prohibition were too true to be good." The Trices Paid There was a great run on the stocks of Scotch whisky, and people often paid more than five dollars for a quart bottle—more than £ 1 in your money." The price of liquor, according to competent observers on board the Luriine, is higher than it was before the introduction of prohibition. In some instances, they said, it was dearer than "bootleg'' liquor, as in the days of prohibition there were frequently price wars, as well as gang wars, although in certain cities one generally led to the other. Whisky was sold about three dollars 30 cents a bottle (about 13s lOd in New Zealand currency), champagne at from'three to five dollars a bottle, and light wines, principally from California, about 30 cents to a dollar- a bottle. Those interested in the California!} wine industry were decidedly optimistic. The general opinion among the Americans approached was that legalised liquor would do much to dispel the crime wave which had been sweeping over the United States, in addition to ■ affording much-needed relief in taxation. Several stewards on the Luriine said that the end of prohibition had meant more employment for men in their calling.