THE DRINK BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9093, 12 July 1915, Page 4

THE DRINK BILL

To the teliter "N.Z. Times." Sir, —On, Wednesday lust you published a letter under tho num de plume "Moderate," which 1 find was also published on the sumo day by tho "-Lyttelton Times" in Christchurch, under tho pen niuno of "Critic.” Tho writer accuses me of numerous "errors” in tho computation of the drink hill for 1!>14. As usual with anonymous writers, "Aloclerate’s” remarks are couched in somewhat offensive language, to which 1 should in ordinary circumstances decline to reply. But the drink bill is a matter, of, public interest, and an exception most therefore be made.

"Moderate" charges me with carelessness. Before publishing the quantities of the . various liquors in tho annual drink bill, X have In every case taken the precaution of obtaining a special return compiled by tho Customs Department and signed by the Comptroller of Customs himself. These returns give full details, and ought to he accepted as entirely reliable.-; Differences (if any) between them and tho Year Book are probably clerical errors. A copy of the return for IUVI ia published in tho “Vanguard," of July 3rd, and anyone can refer to it there. X have in every case scrupulously -adhered to tho signed return for the year in question.- Tho charge of carelessness is therefore without foundation.

about "Moderate’s" figures? Ho says. "It in in Now Zealand-made beers that Mr Adams makes tho most flagrant mistake. In 1913 tho quantity was 10,300,416 gallons (Year Book, p 250). etc. .(Unfortunately for your correspondent ho has not had sufficient experience to avoid tho pitfalls of statistical compilation, and kh> has blundered- badly. A reference to tho "drink bill" will show that tho figures for imported beer, and beer brewed in New Zealand, arc there -given separately. The Y'oar Book does not give them separately, but, Tnetead, the total of beer consumed, including both imported and locally browed beer. In tho "drink bill” for 1913, Idle figures are given thus:—lmported beer. 299,216 gallons; beer brewed in Now Zealand. 10,001,200 gallons; these added together give the Year Book figures 10,300,416 gallons. "ModerateV’ second charge, ia therefore disproved. Tho

‘'caroJfßsnees” and the "mistake” are both His own.

"Tlisn, as to prices,'’ says your correspondent, “Mr A. S. Adams is considerably out. lie puts spirits down at .£3 per-gallon, when ho must know, if ho knows anything at all about buying whisky, that that figure is from 20 to 30 per cent, too high." Now, I readily concede to “Moderate" the experience in buying whisky, which I cannot claim. But the Comptroller's return shows the net value of spirits (duty paid) in store. Tlh is works out at- 25s Ijd per gallon. To that is to bo added (1) the importer's gross profit; (2) the publican’s or retailer's gross profit. Deducting 20 per cent, from 322 loaves 325, which gives 6s 10id per gallon to divide between the importer and the publican. If the importer takes 2 a 6d only, the poor publican would get 4s 4Jd. In' bar sales a gallon at 32a would have to be divided into 6-1 sixpenny drinks—and ail for a profit of 52 ponce. That would surely ruin the publican I

Forty shillings per gallon has been taken for many year's as a fair average retail price, including sales by bottle and by tho pinss, and bearing in mind that the spirits are frequently "broken down" by. addition of water or other liquid. It is Impossible to do more than, estimate the actual retail cost of liquor to the consumer.

Tire last paragraph, of "Moderate’s" letter is grotesque. He there says. “Mr Adams’s conclusion is that there has been an increase in the quantity and value consumed equal to d!108,704, spread over

an increase of population of 30,082. But whim Mr Adams gives the total consumption ... as £3 13s lOd for tho year 1814. the increase of .£106,704 spread over 30,082 persons only gives £3 10s lOjd, an error in this connection alone of 3s per head.” This exhibits gross inaccuracy in quotation, and utter incapacity to understand tho question. To use bis own phrase “any schoolboy could have detected this error." .The total value of liquor consumption for the year (iM,216,357) is of course spread over the whole population of 1,149,171. The expression "spread' over" is not mine, and "Moderate" ■ must accept responsibility for- any confusion iso has introduced by its use. To bring the problem within “Moderate's" comprehension wo will suppose that in 1913 twelve geese laid 144 eggs. That would give'an -average of twelve eggs per goose. ■ If, then, in 1914, fifteen geese laid 165 eggs, actual average of eggs per goose 11, but increase of geese 3, increase of eggs 21. According to “Moderate," tho average eggs per goose, 7. If he cannot see that let him ask one of the geese. Consideration for your space forbids further reply.—l ara, etc.. ALEX. S. ADAMS. Dunedin, July oth.