COLONIAL DRINKING CAPACITY.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 634, 19 March 1870, Page 3

COLONIAL DRINKING CAPACITY.

The total quantity of alcoholic liquors on which duty was paid in New Zealand during the quarter ending on the 31st December last, was 275,899 gallons, the amount of revenue raised on which was £97,419. At the same rate the amount consumed per head of the European population of the Colony during the year would be 4,624 gallons, representing a revenue per head of £1 4s. As, however, it is well known that, notwithstanding the prohibitive law, a large amount of liquor is drunk by Maoris, these figures must be regarded as considerably above the mark. In connection with this subject, we may mention that from a return lately laid before the House of Commons, on the motisn of Sir W. Colebrooke, we find that the quantity of spirits consumed in Great Britain and Ireland—so far as it can be estimated from the Customs returns—during the year 1868, was 29,407,460 gallons, or less than 1 gallon per head of the population. The quantity consumed in New Zealand during the same year was, as also shown by the Customs returns, 552,910 gallons, or rather more than gallons per head of the European population.