ALCOHOL DISTILLING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26541, 16 August 1947, Page 8

ALCOHOL DISTILLING

PETITION FOR LICENCE UNECONOMICAL INDUSTRY HOUSE COMMITTEE’S REPORT Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Aug. 15. The opinion that alcohol for all sorts of purposes might very conveniently and economically he manufactured in New Zealand was expressed by Mr C. H. Chapman (Govt., Wellington Central) during a discussion in the House of Representatives to-day on the report of a petition of Charles John Bax, of Wellington, asking for a licence to distil alcohol. The petition was heard by the Industries and Commerce Committee, which had no recommendation to make. Mr C. M. Bowden (Oppn., Karori), a member of the committee, said that an interesting question had been opened up by the petition, but the committee came to the conclusion that because the petitioner had been fined previously for distilling without a licence, it was bound legally to decline the application. Insufficient Grain Available The committee considered it was not economical to establish a distillery in New Zealand because at present there was not sufficient grain to divert for that purpose. An additional 1500 acres of barley would be required if distillation were introduced in New Zealand, which had never been selfsupporting in the production of barley, said Mr Bowden. A considerable quantity of sugar would also be required. There was also the question of industrial alcohol. Australia made industrial alcohol, but it. had raw material that was not available to New Zealand in the way of leavings of sugar cane. It might be possible to use sawdust for its manufacture in New Zealand, but whether that would be economical was another question. ; Mr Chapman, who presented the petition, said he regretted that the committee had not made a more favourable recommendation. The petitioner had demonstrated that he could produce alcohol very economically. Mr W. A. Sheat (Oppn., Patea): Did he give you a sample? Mr Chapman said that the petitioner was. prepared even to do that. To meet the wishes of overseas exporters, obstacles had in the past been placed in the way of manufacturing alcohol in the Dominion. He could not see any logical objection to the manufacture of alcohol in New Zealand. Local manufacture would save sterling, dollars and shipping space. Previous Licences Cancelled

■Mr C. R. Pe’trie (Govt., Otahuhu), Chairman of the committee, said that over 70 years ago there were two distilleries in New Zealand, ■ but the licences had been cancelled and the concerns compensated. Why, he did not know. There, had been several applications for licences, but since 1875 no Government had granted a licence for the distillation of spirits. It had been proved conclusively to the satisfaction of the committee that such an industry would not be an economic one for New Zealand, because the country did not grow sufficient grain for its own requirements. The Licensing Commission had reported that no satisfactory case had been made out for the manufacture of whisky in New Zealand, and the weight of evidence was against it. The committee, therefore, had no recommendation-to make.