DUTY ON LIQUOR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 98, 27 April 1945, Page 5

DUTY ON LIQUOR

COMPTROLLER ANSWERS QUESTIONS (P.A.) Wellington, April 26. A series of questions asked by the Royal Commisison on Licensing was answered to-dgv by the Comptroller of Customs, Mr. E. D. Good. In reply to a question whether he was satisfied with the present dutyfree allowance of 10 per cent, of the total worts made to breweries on account of wastage. Mr. Good said the allowance was admittedly arbitrary, but it was based primarily on the fact that beer in a brewery had no stable volumetric identity till the time when it was filled into containers for sale. Even then it was not always sold by volume. “We have given some thought to assessing the percentage allowance to each individual brewery during a particular period of time, but the difficulties have been so apparent that, up to the present, the proposal has been discar >d.” he said. The weight <jf evidence had convinced the department that the existing statutory practice should be maintained. In replv to another question, Mr. Good said that there were real and practical difficulties in the collection of duties based on the specific gravity or proof snlrit of beor in the condition in which it was retailed. In answer to another question, Mr. Good expressed the opinion that if a large amount cf revenue was to he collected by way of beer duty, and if such duty was 1o he collected, as at nresent, bv the Customs Department from the brewer, the Minister of Customs was the appropriate authority for the issue of a licence to brew beer. He thought, hr, ever, that a separate licence should be required to entitle tho hrevcer to sell the beer brewed under his brewer’s licence. AcL’od why some wine stills were sealed and not others. Mr. Good said that as a matter of general principle, tho deportment wolud prefer to see onlv sealed stills in use. but he felt th n t it would 'i'* rather harsh to compel licensees x.ho did not have that tvne of still to make a change during the war. Commenting in detail on the statement made 1~ the Commission by Mr. R. J. Jovce. M,’ Good said it appeared he v-p no’ c ; » orsant with the existing la** rehuhu to excise futy on beer.