British Liquor Legislation.

Evening Star, Issue 17720, 22 July 1921, Page 4

British Liquor Legislation.

It comes rather as a surprise to learn, as to-day’s cables in tom ns, that the British Government is introducing rather drastic liquor legislation. There is the authority of Mr “ Pussyfoot ” Johnson for the impression that Britain is in no way ripe for following America’s example and going “dry.” There is also the recent plebiscite in Scotland as an index to the disinclination to sample even the mildest form o>f Prohibition., The attitude of the people themselves towards reform is not encouraging to Prohibition advocates, and hitherto the attitude of the Government to the Trade has been chiefly noteworthy for financial' rather than moral surveillance. It has proved a reliable and lucrative field for taxation. During the war the elastic powers applicable under “Dona” were exercised in the matter of shutting down on distilleries’ output for consumption, reducing beer to something of a mockery as a beverage, and causing bars to resemble an occulting light in their periods of opening and closing. Still the people drank, brewers made bigger profits than ever out of their attenuated ware, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer took his toll. Gradually there has been partial relaxation of restraint j spirits have been procurable by those able to pay, the beer is not so thin, and the brewer’s profits, though high, have suffered some diminution, partly because materials are dearer, while his taxes have been increased with every Budget. Thus at the last annual meeting of the City of London Brewery Company the chairman told shareholders that, although the year which had just passed had been somewhat uneventful, they had had some new taxes to the extent of £200,000. He could not help thinking that so far as taxation was concerned the Government would be content now that it had) taxed- their particular trade to ite limit; and he thought they would more readily agree with him in

that statement when he told them that I tho company had during 1920 paid to tl.e Government over £600,000) irrespective of income tax. j The Government has, however, developed l

an attack from an unexpected quarter. The temporary limitations in regard to the hours for the sale of liquor are at length to be replaced by something permanent if tho hew Bill becomes law. The new order will have very little resemblance to the old pre-war conditions. To delay the opening of the bar door until 11 a.m., and limit its invitation to eight or nine hours a day, means a very drastic change. One would say that, if carried into effect, it is bound to reduce consumption greatly; but experience has shown that in these particular matters it is dangerous to prophesy, because totally unexpected developments often frustrate the object aimed at. It is quite evident, that the Government’s aim is to reduce the nation’s drink bill, and a glance at its amount should convince any disinterested person that tho object is laudable and the attempt anything but premature. The latest figures wo have seen bearing on tho subject are the United Kingdom Alliance’s estimates of the national consumption of and expenditure upon ■ alcoholic liquor. It is estimated that the expenditure on alcoholic beverages in 1920 showed an advance of 21 per cent, over 1919 and of 183 per cent, over 1913. Tho 1920 consumption, “measured in terms of absolute alcohol,” ts said to have been 15 per cent, higher than in 1919, but 24 per cent, lower than in 1915. Thus alcohol consumers in 1920 paid 183 per cent, more for 24 per cent, less alcohol than in 1913. The actual expenditure of the people of the United Kingdom on alcoholic drinks in 1920 is estimated at £469,700,000, of which 42 per cent, went to the Exchequer in taxation, the comparable estimates for 1919 being £386,000,000 and 31J, per cent, and for 1913 £166,700,000 and 23 per cent. The nation should be grateful to the Government for seeking “To limit consumers’ temptations to spend nearly treble what they once did in return for only four-fifths the old commodity. In view of tho very strong representation of brewing interests in tho House of Commons —in the House of Lords also, for that matter—the progress of tho Bill tlixough Parliament and its ultimate fate should provide am interesting mid instructive spectacle.