The Wine and Spirit Duties.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1706, 13 July 1885, Page 2

The Wine and Spirit Duties.

Tin: tlutv on alcoholic spiiil.- and >ntt< is I-:.: Ih-i-i raised from ID I-. Ms (id per gallon. Th" extra sixpence of duty is i.ecessaiy, simply beeau-e during the bet llnee yeais the revenue from the spirit dutio.- bus considerably fallen off. Jn Ihs2-H tlie amount colb-cted was €-U(),.117 : for JsKi-J it was MDH.oOO ; for Ms 1-5 it amounted te CM7 fi'M'i. For the first two months of the present financial year the receipts hj ive h.cii at the rate of MihC-,lit! t a year. 'I he.se figures tiro eminently suggestive. They indicate that the people of this colony are year by year drinking' lets of alcoholic liquors, and that through the “ Blue luhlion " movement and other agencies tlie practice ol total abstinence is largely increasing. Of course tlie Colonial Treasurer desires to get os much revenue ns possible from the spiiil duties, and so this extra sixpence has been added. The increase in the duty on Australian wines is objectionable, as tending to check the consumption of a lino article which is far more wholesome limn brandies and liery imported ports and sherries.