SUGGESTED TAXES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 940, 9 December 1933, Page 1

SUGGESTED TAXES.

Committee’s Proposals for Liquor Imposts. CONGRESS TO DECIDE. United Prfcss Assn.—By Electrie Telegraph—Copyright. (Received December 9, noon.) WASHINGTON, December 8. The special Inter-departmental Alcohol Committee recommends Congress to impose the following taxes: Two hundred and sixty cents a gallon on distilled spirits, compared with the present 110 cents. Still wines of less than 14 per cent alcoholic content, 16 cents, as against the present 4 cents. Wines with trom 14 to 24 per cent of alcohol, 40 cents. All wines, including brandy, above 24 per cent, 260 cents, the same as distilled spirits. Sparkling wines of less than 24 per cent alcohol, 80 cents. Sparkling wines of over 24 per cent alcohol, 260 cents. Artificial sparkling wines under 24 per cent of alcohol, 40 cents a gallon.

“LIQUOR CZAR.”

Orderly ’ Development of Industry Aimed At. NEW YORK, Decembei 2. Mr Joseph Choate, jun., a leading New York lawyer and the son of one of the most famous American Ambassadors in history, has been appointed “ Liquor Czar ” of the United States. Starting from zero, without anybody to placate, the liquor code will be a model for the world. In all its branches the Government will insist upon orderly development of the liquor industry. The consumer’s interests will be watched, to prevent unreasonable charges, and the Government will retain emergency powers to control the prices of imports as well as of liquor manufactured in the United States. Will Buy 35 Million Gallons. The Government has opened negotiations with liquor-exporting countries on the basis of “ you buy our products and we will buy your liquor.” In the first year following December 5 the United States will require 20 million gallons of spirits and 15 million gal lons of wine, in addition to its own domestic supplies. It was intimated. that France was the chief country aimed at, when the Government announced its intention of buying only if compensating tariff reductions were made, to allow American manufactures and farm products easy entry into liquor-exporting countries. This scheme was worked out by Mr Mordecai Ezekiel, economic adviser to the Secretary for Agriculture (Mr Wallace). Questioned, Mr Ezekiel said that the trade pacts he planned would undoubtedly lower the barriers against American farm products. Canadian Alarm. The announcement created a great sensation in Canada, for this Dominion, long anticipating the approaching end of prohibition, has its distilleries running overtime, to assist in filling the American demand. A meeting of directors of leading distilleries in Montreal, the centre of this business, has been called to consider the situation and to confer with the Canadian Government to forestall the threatened loss of this trade in any new commercial agreements the United States may contemplate.