The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." TUESDAY, AUG. 14th, 1917. TELL=TALE FIGURES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17061, 14 August 1917, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." TUESDAY, AUG. 14th, 1917. TELL=TALE FIGURES.

Once a year there is presented to Parliament a return showing, on the basis of the Customs returns, the rate of consumption per head of population, of articles thai are in common uso. The " Otago Daily Times" recently analysed t-he figures g,iven in this year's return, which, it says, has special value in the evidence which it affords that, however much the cost of living may be pressing upon the community, the effect of increased prices has not been appreciably to reduce the consumption of several commodities that ar e largely used. The table is of special interest to the teetotaller, because it shows how little the stress of war and the diminished purchasing power of the sovereign has affected the consumption of alcoholic beverages. True, the consumption of spirits last year, amounting to 2.34 gallons per head, was less than it had been for several years, for, while it> is necessary to go back to 1909 for a year in which the consumption was smaller, yet, owing to the slight increase in the duty that was made in 1916, the expenditure per head last year was higher than in any one of 23 years prior to 1912. There was a reduction last year, as well, in the consumption of wine, of which the people of New Zealand have never been extravagant drinkers, the expenditure on this beverage dropping to 10-ljd per head. The consumption of imported ale and beer also dropped last year and amounted to 0.30 gallons, representing an expenditure of 7d. per head. This is, as a matter of consumption, the lowest point to which the consumption of imported ale and beer has ever been brought in New Zealand. But no particular virture can be claimed by the community over this circumstance, for the beer drinkers more than made up for their tfiminished consumption of the imported article by their increased demand for the New Zealand brew, the consumption of which —

amounting to 14£ gallons, at a cost of 4s. 10£ d. per head—was the largest in quantity since 1882, and the highest in value that has ever been statistically recorded. The consumption of tea within the Dominion last year is estimated at 6.941b. per head. This, it is pointed out, represents a diminution of one pound per head, as compared with the figures for the previous year, wlien the consumption was about three-quarters of a pound less per head than in 1914. But the consumption in 1914 was 2|lb. per head more than in 1913. These figures, we confess, are a little perplexing. there are thousands of men at the front who were confirmed tea-drinkers. Perhaps, also, although we doubt it, tITe abolition of the morning or afternoon cup of tea constitutes a form of war economy with a good many people But, however the reduction in the consumption of tea last year is to be explained } we are still left to wonder what accounted for the remarkable increase in the consumption i:i 1914. There was a fractional diminution in the consumption of coffee and cocoa last year, and there was an apparent decrease of 141b. per head in the consumption of sugar, which .enters so lai-gely, however, into the manufacture of other articles that the figures relating to it cannot be regarded as a trustworthy indication of th c exteut of household use. The consumption of tobacco was 6.971b. per head last year, and this figure is below the average of recent years. As compared with 1915, the expenditure upon tobacco showed a reduction of sevennenoe per head. But as there was an increase of eightpence per head in the expenditure on cigars and cigarettes—mainly attributable, there can be no doubt, to fa largely increased use of cigarettes-r----the smokers in the community have plainly not denied themselves any ot the pleasure they derive from the indulgence of their tastes. Of other goods in common use, upon which "ad valorem" rates of duty are charged, the consumption last year represented an expenditure of £1 12s. 3Jd., as compared with £1 2s. lOfd. per head in the preceding year. Commenting on these figures, our contemporary expresses the opinion that the cost of living, oppressive though it may be, would be less burdensome to a great many people if they were to make a personal application of a system of voluntary rationing, such as has been introduced at Home.