CUSTOMS RETURNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15646, 27 June 1914, Page 10

CUSTOMS RETURNS.

INTOXICANTS CONSUMED. REDUCTION IN SPIRITS. [UT TELECRAI'n.— RPOTAI coßnr.srovni:sT.] Weuxvctov, Friday. The cost per cent, of collecting the Customs d'jtle» at the principal ports ; n the year 1913-14 was e # follows :—Auckland.' £1 7s 5d ; Wellington, £1 8s 7d; Lyttclton and Cbristeburch, £1 14s; Dunedin and Port Chalmers. £1 lis 8d; Napier, £1 lis; Invercareill and Bluff. £2 3s; Timaru, £1 13s 9d; New Plymouth, £1 19s: Creymouth. £2 6s fid: ; Waneanui, £1 6s 4d ; Poverty Bay. £1 '< iru r,A . n IA. xa

10s od; Westport, &3 lis id. ; Th? usual return, showing the j quantities of articles in common use which j were consumed during last year, wa« ! presented to Parliament to-day. It shows; a reduction in the consumption of spirits from £2 0s 2d per head to £1 19s Bd. ; The consumption of tobacco fell from £1 , 4s 5Jd to £1 5s 5d per head. There is, j however, a slight increase in the con- ! sumption of cigarette ' from 12« 7jd to ! 13s per head. A slight decrease in the I value of wine and beer consumed is re- ' corded, and also in the quantity of tea : used, the consumption having dropped (from 6.971b to 6.23!b per head. I Over 10 000,000 gallons of New Zea-land-brewed beer was drunk last year ■ a slisht increase upon the previous year's i fijrnn-.-. but the average consumption per j beaei remains the same as before, namely, , 13 gallons per head of the population over ! ' 15 years of age. , I