LIQUOR CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1942, Page 4

LIQUOR CONTROL

REDUCED IMPORTS

MINISTER'S,STATEMENT

CO.C.) . AUCKLAND, This Day. A letter explaining recent steps taken by the Government for the further control of the liquor trade was received by the Auckland Presbytery last night from the" Acting Minister of Customs (Mr. Nordmeyer). The Minister stated that the value of import licences for spirits and wines thisj year was one-half of what; It was in 1938, but having regard to the increase in price it was estimated that the actual quantity imported was only 35 per cent; of the previous amount. The amount of sugar allotted to brewers was 50 per cent of last year's quantity, which must have a material effect on the amount of beer brewed. The alcoholic content of beer had been reduced appreciably by means of a steeply-graduated scale. It- was very unlikely that any quantity other than of stout would be brewed at a higher point than 1036. If that expectation was not realised, further steps would be taken to achieve what the Government had in view. The reduction in the alcoholic content of more than 25 per cent, would achieve a very desirable result. OTHER PROPOSALS. "There are other proposals yet to reach final legal form,' 1 concluded the Minister, "which will be the subject of regulation, and these, together with the factors I have mentioned, will, I believe, achieve a very desirable increase in sobriety." The Moderator, the Rev. J. D. Smith, said that figures recently published by the "Vanguard" as a result of investigations made by the New Zealand Alliance produced a very different result from the Minister's figures. The indications were that the local production of wine had increased very considerably. The question of a reduction in the high alcoholic content of wine was referred to the public questions committee. - ■ . ■ ■ ''. ■