THE DRINK BILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19476, 11 May 1925, Page 14

THE DRINK BILL.

TO THE EDITOB. S lßi _Thc 'figures connected with New Zealand’s annual liquor hill, published in your issue of May 8, are astounding. For the last three years the people cf this country handed over to the liquor traffic the sum of £23,209,490. By way of return, in what is called revenue, the liquor deals banded hack only £4,845,021. A nice -business deal! In face of this at national poll time, the liquor trade has the elfrontry to prate about the “liquor revenue." Under national •prohibition the people would have had the whole £23,000,000 to spend in useful channels—in better houses, clothes, foods, poraforts, and useful luxuries of all kinds. Nor is this all, out of the meagre four millions that the Government receives back it has to control, conteract, and meet the hurtful effects of the liquor traffic in the community in the way of police and gaol administration, mental institutions, charitable homes, hospitals, children’s institutions, etc., etc. Truly the liquor’traffic is a bankrupt proposition so far as the taxpayers of this country are concerned.—l am, etc., New Zealander.