WHISKY IMPORTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 April 1918, Page 6

WHISKY IMPORTS.

TRANSPORT'S BIG CONSIGNMENT ' DUMPING FROM AMERICA. (Special to "Slar."j WELLINGTON, This Day. Heavy importations of whisky from the United States of America have been noticed on the Wellington waterfront this year, and there is an interesting reason for this apart from the -well-known difficulty in obtaining Scotch whisky durino- tlie war. Ardent spirits have been banned in the States for the term of the war, and distillers have to look elsewhere for their market. Probably the sudden stoppage of consumption has left them with stocks en hand, consequently the big consignments, l both from Canada and the States are explained. Tlie Customs authorities are analysing strange brands, so tuat the New Zealand consumer will not get his ardent spirits too "raw." Apparently, under the stressi.of war conditions, it is difficult to e,et; fully matured spirits, and some amendment of the law appears to be needed to make quite sure that no unmatured liquor is placed on the market. A recent shipment of spirits from America., landed in Wellington, totalled 8,900 gallons. It is not surprising that the American distillers are looking to "fresh fields and pastures new," as the beer brewing interests have conducted a. vigorous campaign against "hard" spirits, contending that they cause all the drunkenness., and maintaining, on the other hand that—to use the~words of one large newspaper advertisement insetted in a city paper by the brewers —."beer is the true .handmaiden of temperance." Though there is great difficulty in getting spirits from Scotland] a. New Zealand transport recently landed in Wellington a surprisingly large quantity. It was reported in the city that this steamer seemed to cany nothing but soldiers and Avhisky, but examination of the manifest shows .this to be an exaggeration. The cargo spaoe was not fully filled, so that the whisky bulked large in the total. The heaviest lines were for drapery establishments, while the whisky comprised 1201 cases and 50 casks containing, in all, 4089 gallons. While there is sio mudr delay in securing many other articles from England it is evident that some strong control is necessary over the allocation of cargo spaoe in the Government ships. This instance will probably result in the commercial community making representation:;, when it will be found" that the Government is endeavoring to arrange for a preferential list of goods respect to cargo space both from England and America.