EXPENDITURE ON ALCOHOL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 September 1927, Page 5

EXPENDITURE ON ALCOHOL.

DECREASE IN 1926

! The annual statement compiled by ! Mr F. B. Adams, 8.A., LL.M., the well-known Dunedin barrister, has just been issued, and shows that for the year January Ist to December 31st, 1926, the estimated direct expenditure on drink in New Zealand was £8,425,051, a decrease of £150,000 over the previous year. Mr Adams .arrives at his conclusion by the following proCGSS t V ESTIMATED EXPENDITUEE. Spirits — 658,293 gallons at £4 £2,633,172 Added /water 438,860 Wines — 23.3,679 gallons at 40s 457,358 Beer, imported—--59,211 gallons at 17s 6d 51,809 Beer, New Zealand — 12,890,273, at 17s 6d 4,833,852 Total • • £8,425,051 LAST THKEE YEARS. The figures for the last three years, excluding amount for spirits (non-bever-age), are as follows: — 1P24 £8,310,339 lt>L\-> 8,583,111 1926 8,425,051 Total £25,318,501 PER HEAD EXPENDITURE. Estimated mean population for 1926 (including Maoris) 1,413,700 Estimated expenditure per head of population (including Maoris) £5 19 2 Decrease per head from 1925 (including Maoris) 4 10 Estimated expenditure per household of Jive .persons £29 15 10 Mr Adams comments that, after deducting Customs and Excise duties, the net drink bill (£0,541,713) is more than the amount spent by the State on the following services combined: —Education (including primary, secondary and technical schools, training colleges, and higher education), £3,814,434; pensions (including war, old-age, widows', Maori War, Boer War, miners', epidemic, blind, civil service, and sundry other pensions), £2,489,578; total £6,304,012.