NEW ZEALAND WINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13762, 29 May 1908, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND WINES.

; Sir,—Mil? I J-k you to fiml r»K>m in wm)' j valuable p»liißins for a (>:«• mrurks xt> oar j New Zealand wine industry. From a, iwc j mon-wo-e vi»«w the present absurd l#ui*l."j f ' os > as to the fortilW»lu>n of Now | Zealand wines and th.< restrictions «* to their j sale or disposal fee m cc-r-.traOsctory Mil toi tally inexplicable, <>.?., the I • < I vrrijits !> At h't l | encouraged the plan tin-{ of vmeyanls,: and j the luamifacturo of « m»\ and induced '»«>»-, | bets of i'ettleix to i:tvp«t t •?«» and money itsno promising an industry. It luw established J an experimental «>r model vineyard <m tt>o i )M>r>r<'s! possible sod, <>> uerontmrate the | capabilities ol our cliui.ue. are! vvvit {KttTCHt j soil, for the prout.h of the v»»w» and making |of wine. nd this at a considerable rxpcnvh' i iute of the- public money. It has further j secured the services of a foreign export I (Sipior Brato) at « tixed stipend , to assist-' { viticulturi.-ts and wine-makers throughout j the country. In the fate id all thU, i-lw> j present- extraordinary legislation ' as to the • peces-tary fortification and prcMtvidi'm of New Zealand wine# and their sale or disj posal .jeopardise "thewhole industry. in- ■ stead of following the wise example of the j wstor colonies and assisting the ImluMtry, by . I wise and liberal legislation, our prompt; law* I interfere prejudicially with the proper and j necessary. preservative fortification of our j wines, instead of allowing New Zealand j wines for exportation to bo of" the same alco- | holie strength as foreign and imported I wines, and, lis 1 believe, approved by Mipuor j Jlragato. the nriximum jdeoholie wlrenuiii of., i wines consumed in the Dominion to be 25', * |if thought neees-jiry, especially for the | heavier and sweeter wines, and. as in Au*- | tralia, to pan every facility to vigncmn* to* I obtain good spirit at a reduced price-, for*' fortification purposes only. Further, in I order to pUee pure and wholesome native,-, ■ wines within the public reach, to allow New 1 i Zealand wine to be sold retail, by the gl,i-.« j or half-pint, at all restaurants or bodegas,« j and by the bottle or half-dozen by wino ! j ; merchant.-, and prooers. This would ' greatly- ! increase (he consumption of New Zealand* l \ wines, and (he .-ale of .the same, bringingm j the grower and consumer closer together, and"*i enable families who could not atford a ca-os j at 30s, to obtain a bottle or two at a time j "*• ease of sickness. or when required. Not"*i only temperance men, but minded pro.*; 1 bibilionists, must be aware thai in those*,' J countries where pure ine is the staple drink of the people intemperance is hardly known,a but often health, prosperity, and content-** incut. Lastly, as a consequence of the 1»».' fortvnnmotl mistaken legislation, I know'of j vifyieron.s who have considerable stocks of# | pood and well-matured nines in their cellars, for which they find it difficult to obtain ii remunerative disposal. ViTIs.VTOR.