A YEAR OF DRINK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1061, 25 February 1911, Page 15

A YEAR OF DRINK.

NEW ZEALAND'S ANNUAL BILL. Tho drink bill of tho Dominion for 1910, calculated as usual at per gallon rates on the nmintity, ' which passed through tho'Customs and excise, amounted (according to tho annual statistical statement prepared by the Rev, Edward Walker) to - X3,503,-13S, being an increaso 011 tho previous year of .£175,301, or i' 3 13s. lid. per head of population, an increaso per head on the previous year of Us, Ojd. Tho bill is liko a barometer for showing; the current spending powers of tho people. Anyone may form his own estimate of what tho figures would, bo 'if tho increase, after- passing the Customs and excise, of tho quantity of liquor, by' methods known to tho trade, ami tho actual cost to tho" consumers, ,not-at,per gallon, hut as sold across tho bar,"- could -bo calculated. Probably five'million pounds sterling, and iivo pounds per head of popula-. tion, or Ji2s per household, is less than was really spent 011 liquor in Now Zealand last year. The Customs and cxciso, revenue from it was .£799,G31.

The consumption of spirits has increased by -18,487 gallons;, of wines, 14,739 gallons; of imported beer,.19,100 gallons; and of Dominion, beer, 215,520 gallons. This, be it noted, with an estimated increase of 19,228 of population. "Curiously enough, tho figures for 1909, when tho estimated increase of population was set down, at- 2G;7SO, the consumption of spirits, wines, and beer showed a dcerease, according to tho report. The consumption of spirits decreased by 32,478 gallons; of wines 10,150 gallons; of imported beer, 19,370. gallons; and of Dominion,'hcer, 163,780 gajlons. • Mr. C. Jf. Gray, of Christchurch, who for a number of years calculated and published the annual driitk bill, estimated from tho Customs and oxciso returns,.tliat for the' sixteen years frcili 1870 to 1895, inclusive, it averaged .£2,599,553 per auiium, ,' This ..would, givo for tho fifteen y'oars from 1870 to 1884, inclusive; a total of .£38,993,295. , -. . • !-. , Looking- backward over tho last, ten years, tho estimated 'figures aro interesting, Hero is tho table:— -

•. ■ ., , Cost Fopu- of liquor Cost latioii. consumed, per head. .£ . £ 6. (1. 1001 wv -822,779 2,922,OSS .3 11. OJ 1902 *... 8-10,031 2,055,298 3 10 3} 1003 805,560 3,058,500 3 10 7} 1901 ... 8S9.77G 3,152,819 3 10 10J 1005 ..." 915.000 3,120,705 3 8 21 l'JOG ... 9U, 190 3,3G0,121 3 11 -1J 1907 ...' 007,017 3,667,370 , 3 .15 10 1908 ... 991,131 3,751,968 3 15 5} 1509 ... 1,021,211 3,028,137 3 11 _ 05 1010 ' ... 1.010,442 3,803.438 3 13 11