Some Facts About “The Trade”

White Ribbon, Volume 18, Issue 4, 1 May 1946, Page 7

Some Facts About “The Trade”

Note* on an Addrei* given at the Northland Dutrict Convention by Captain Smith (S.A.) , The effects of the use of alcoholic [drinks in countries, homes and li\es, too well known for it to be necessary for me to describe them here, but Hierhais these few facts taken from the l<k>vernment Statistical Book for BM.'' will le of interest. Only a few of the things we class a, essential to healthy living will be mentioned, and it must be remembered that the figures are production ones in t’ne middle of this last war, when -very man, woman and child who could work NN as expected to, and in the majority of cases did work.

To every pound of butter made, to every pound of cheese made, to every pound of bacon made, and to every Trick made, ale and stout were brewed. To every pair of ahoes made eleven gallons of ale and stout were brewed. To every blanket made 10 gallons of ale and stout were brewed. To every ton of coal mined 10 gallons of ale and stout were brewed. I do not mean that it took ter. gallons of ale or stout to lift a ton of coal. These statistics are found on page 65. Let this one perhaps complete the list:

For every carcase of frozen meat, one and a half gallons of ale and stout were brewed. Import* We have heard such a lot about shipping space during the war years. The comparison between 1938 and 1942 is drawn in regard to consumers’ goods. Food: £2,145,000 in 1938 to £1,104,000 in 1942; a 50 per cent, decrease. Beverages increased at the rate that food decreased in importation. I am assuming, of course, that “beverages” are mainly intoxicating liquors. These figures exempt equip-

merit, etc., tor our allies in the country. Page 79 is very interesting. They talked of man-power shortage, yet pages 62-63 reveal this:— There are 46 brewing and malting firms employing 1,191 men. There are 410 butter and cheese factories, employing 3,9*3 men. Roughly nine times the number of butter and cheese factories, hut only three times the number of employees. Compare this with the grain milling, with its 45 factories —only one less than the breweries, with only 765 employees. There are 40 per cent, more men in the breweries than the grain mills. Only in one thing does the manpower exceed that of the breweries, and that is the freezing and preserving works, which have 38 factories employing 10,137 people. 1 would like, in finishing, to note the remark on page 65. The only comparison that can he given is from the years 1932-33, and 1942-43. Frozen mm ton eo eased in production. Frozen lamb increased about 19 per cent. Frozen be.-f increased about 3)0 per cent. Preserved meats increased about 900 per cent. Hams and bacons increased about 3)2 per cent.

Flour increased about 7 per cent. Boots and shoes increased about 200 per cent. Butter and cheese decreased slightly. BUT, ale and stout increased over 250 per cent.

You will see that only preserved mc?.t exceeded ale and stout in increased production, and this is accounted for by the soldiers and allies we supplied with food.

As a final sum-up, if you want to go furtner, study the Government Statistical Book tor -ourselves. You will find that the breweries have been an expensive luxury during the most critical years of our history.