CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15239, 4 January 1943, Page 4

CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT MOVES.

By radio, the Canadian Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. L. Mackenzie King announced the Government’s action to curtail sharply ,the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Curtailment had been decided upon as a means of achieving a total war effort. “The Department of National Revenue,*’ the Prime Minister proceeded, “had been directed t© reduce the quantity of beverage alcohol both domestically manufactured and imported to be released from bond and made available for sale. The limitation is based on quantities released for sale in the twelve month period which began on November 1, 1941. For the twelve month period which* began on November 1, this year the quantity of beer is to be reduced by 10 per cent, wine by 20 per cent, and spirits by 30 per cent. Also, provision has been made for a reduction in the alcoholic content of all distilled spirits to not greater than 30 per cent under proof. This reduction in alcoholic content becomes effective as soon as the stocks now packaged and ready for sale are exhausted. Fortification of wine with distilled spirits is prohibited.”

The Prime Minister pointed out that while the Dominion Government is in a position to control the quantities of alcoholics to be released for consumption it is the provinces which regulate the retail sales. The Dominion Government, therefore appealed to the provinces for their co-operation in further restricting sales of alcoholic beverages. Already it had been found that curtailment of hours of sale in those provinces where hours had been cut down bad automatically resulted in reducing consumption with evident beneficial results tc Canada’s war effort. While each province was best able to judge its own places and hours of sale the Federal Government was of the opinion IB at in the interests of Canada’s war effort the total number of hours t Q be allotted for the sale of spirits, wine and beer in any establishment where' they may be sold should not exceed eight hours a das’. “On behalf of the Federal Government,” the Prime Minister added. “I wish now* publicly to appeal to the provinces to lend their co-op-eration in furthering our country’s war effort By effecting at as early a date a-s possible, this much needed restriction.”