IMPORTS OF SPIRITS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28481, 10 January 1958, Page 12

IMPORTS OF SPIRITS

Strong Criticism Of Restriction

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, January 9.

“Mr Nash is literally prohibiting the drinking community,’’ said the president of the New Zealand Licensed Victuallers’ Association (Mr J. H. S. Hogg) speaking today of the effect of the recently imposed import restrictions on the liquor trade.

“Only a few months ago the people of this country voted almost unanimously for national continuance, and now Mr Nash turns around and virtually says that only a quarter of the spirit drinkers can have what they want.’’

Mr Hogg said the new import restrictions meant that retailers would get only 25 cases of spirits for every 100 cases they had been getting during the last few years. Whisky, gin and brandy, the ‘‘bread-and-butter’’ lines, were not the ones that had absorbed the overseas funds and there had never been a tendency to import more than was required of those lines.

“This will knock the tourist trade right on the head,’’ said Mr Hogg. He said the tourist trade was the biggest dollar-earner. without any out-goings, and tourists would just refrain from visiting New Zealand when the effect of the restrictions was felt.

At a meeting of the Timaru Licensed Victuallers’ Association, of which Mr Hogg is also president, it was unanimously decided that its members* foremost consideration should be to meet the demands of every-day customers and stocks of spirits should therefore be reserved for bar sales. Increased Prices

“We don’t know when these restrictions are going to end,’* said Mr Hogg, “and our regular customers have to be provided for. We have no desire in any way to stampede the public but we have returned to what would be the normal and lawful price—a 50 per cent, mark-up on the wholesale price.” He said that brought the price of a quart bottle of whisky, formerly sold at 265, to 31s 6d and other spirits would be correspondingly increased in price.

“Because of the encroachment of price-cutting within the trade the price of whisky in Timaru, up to October, varied from 25s to 30s. One hotel was charging 26s and because of the confusion in the minds of the public, it was decided to reduce the price at all hotels to 265. Now there will be a return to the former price.” Mr Hogg said it was incumbent on the trade to take steps to meet the situation because it was not known what rationing measures the wholesalers might take. “We had no warning of these restrictions,” he said, “and no opportunity of safeguarding ourselves.”