REASONS WHY WHISKY IS SHORT IN NEW ZEALAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 55, 21 February 1949, Page 5

REASONS WHY WHISKY IS SHORT IN NEW ZEALAND

Recently the Beacon published an article on why whisky was in short supply. A Whakatane hotelkeeper supplied the facts and because of its apparent importance this explanation received wide publicity throughout the Bay of Plenty. However, a correspondent, who signs himself “Hokonui,” disagreed with the article and wrote to the Hauraki Plains Gazette at Paeroa setting out his reasons and the “correct” explanation. “The explanation given by a Whakatane hotelkeeper for the present shortage of whisky in New Zealand is interesting but incorrect,” he writes. “Whisky must be at least five years old in wood before it can be exported. It can remain in bond in New Zealand for just as long as the importer desires, and can be released from bond in any quantity after duty has been paid. “The shortage is due to the fact that importers are allowed to import only a fraction of the amount imported in the year 1938. Scotch whisky distillers have difficulty in replenishing stocks due to the small allocation of barley by the Government, which requires two-thirds of all spirits released from bond to be sent to “hard currency” countries. “The British Government for the distilling year, which began on October 1, 1948, have allocated 200,000 tons of barley, estimated to produce 20 millipn proof gallons of whisky, which quantity is equivalent to approximately two-thirds of normal production. “Not by the end of the year will the position improve, as your correspondent hopes, but by 1953 the world shortage in Scotch whisky will be considerably relieved, is the opinion of all connected with distilling.”