LIQUOR CONSUMPTION IN CANADA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21579, 26 February 1932, Page 8

LIQUOR CONSUMPTION IN CANADA

HEAVY REDUCTION IN QUEBEC Canadians have been spending less money for liquor during the depression than they did in more prosperous times. The annual report of the Quebec Liquor Commission makes this very evident, and it is expected reports for the other seven provinces which have adopted some form of 'state control will show a similar trend.

In the past fiscal year gross receipts of the Quebec Commission were about £5,000,000, which was a reduction of £1,000,000 from the preceding year. This total, is should be explained, does not include public expenditures for beer and wine consumed on licensed premises, or beer by the bottle dispensed from licensed shops. Figures for the 10 years in which the commission has operated show that its total gross revenue has been £45,000,000, of which £18,000,000 has been paid out for stock and operating expenses, £14,500,000 has been paid to the Federal Government in Customs and excise taxes, and £12,500,000 has been the provincial government’s share of the profit. Quebec officials point with pride to the success of their policy in encouraging consumption of light wines in preference to spirits, and they are confident their own people are drinking less spirits than a few years ago. They show that in six years there has been an increase of 88.7 per cent, in the sale of wines, while the sale of spirits has advanced by only 20.5 per cent. This period coincides witli a striking development in the tourist business and a considerable increase in population. The commission expresses gratification also at the continued decrease in convictions for drunkenness. Before the advent of Government control convictions were as high as 525 per 100,000 of population in a year, but in the past 10 years they have never exceeded 300 for the same unit.