Liquor prices

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 12

Liquor prices

Sir, — Dangerous as it. is to make predictions, I will take the risk. The great New Zealand triumvirate, the liquor industry moguls, our Government and the F.0.L., the first with its almost automatically successful applications for increases in the cost of its product, the second in so readily granting the first’s pleas, and the third forced to battle for continuing wage increases necessitated by actions of the other two, shall, I predict, bring about in this fine country what we supporters of the temperance movement have long, yet vainly battled for: a sober, hence sane and spiritually enriched society, albeit an increasingly materially impoverished one. — YourS, etc., JAMES J. DUNCAN. May 8, 1980. Sir, — Last week a

spokesman, for Leopard Breweries made a statement claiming that imports of Australian canned beer were having an adverse effect on the local market. This was attributed to' thq fact that the can was produced for eight, cents in Australia while the New Zealand equivalent cost 18 cents-. However, in the same statement it was claimed that the New Zealand product competed more than favourably against all-comers on the American market. Since the cost of. the can is probably more than the cost of the contents, and since distribution and freight costs must be considerable, how can the company compete favourably on the American market and yet seek protection on the home market? — Yours, etc., C. OLIVINE. May 7, 1980.