THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 12 July 1912, Page 5

THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON, July 11. Before the Cost of Living Commission the Rev. J. Dawson, general secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, said that the cost of liquor was regarded by them as a waste or worse than a waste. The drink bill in 1911 showed that at gallon rate £3,859,371 was spent in liquor. In reply to Mr Fairbairn, zu- wiine:;.^ said that he obtained the figures from the Customs return.

Mr Fairbairn thought some figures were open to u '< u, especially™ t^ estimate of beer .... <is per gallon. The witness, continuing, said that his executive supplied the argument, which showed there was a loss instead of a gain on the liquor revenue. He cited the cost of prisons, slums, charitable institutions, etc.,' a large proportion of the cost of which must be attributed to the results of the liquor traffic. The Pakatoa and Roto lloa inebriates' homes were direct losses to the Stato.

The Rev. J. W. Comrie, chairman of the Alliance executive, gave figures to prove that the efficiency and capacity of the worker was sometimes impaired as the result of liquor, and this loss must be charged against it.