BEER IMPORTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 1 July 1943, Page 2

BEER IMPORTS

Auckland, This Day. Large quantities of beer have had to be imported into N£w Zealand from America for the forces, said Mr H. J. Kelliher, managing director of Dominion Breweries at the Company’s annual meeting to-day. This would not have been necessary and valuable shipping space would have been saved had the industry been rated essential and the fact that a great majority of soldiers and workers regarded their glass of ber as indispensable to the maximum war effort had been honestly faced. What was wanted in this country was a rational and commonsense approach to the whole liquor question, he added. A 25 per cent, reduction in the supplies of bottled beer had resulted from the 25 per cent, cut in the ration of crown seals last year, but in spite of labour and material shortages the total production of beer increased. The Government received from the com- : pany in direct and indirect taxation i nearly £1,000.000, or three times the amount of paid-up capital which he considered a record for any industrial : concern—P.A.