WAR SPIRITS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16256, 5 July 1918, Page 3

WAR SPIRITS.

LARGE INCREASE OF IMPORTS. It was mentioned recently that the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, in response to a request of the National Efficiency Board, had . set up a committee to make enquiries as to the proportion of shipping space taken up by necessary and unnecessary articles. As a sequel to the numerous complaints that have been made in various places throughout the • Dominion regarding quantities of liquor landed, a representative of the "Post" called on the Hon. Arthur M. Myers, Minister of Customs, who furnished him with a return showing the total quantity, in gallons, of beer, spirits, and wine landed at tho main ports of New Zealand for the first five months in 1918, as against a similar period for 1917. This statement shows that the total importation of liquor in that period rose froth 386,771 gallons in 1917 to 603,607 gallons this year. Quantities in gallons (5 months). 1918. 1917. Auckland— Total ... 137,024 93,685 Whisky ... 88,456 63,780 Wellington— Total ... 206,011 120,999 Whisky ... 139,046 69,439 Lyttelton— Total ... 110,741 54,037 Whisky ...' 69,241 34,293 Dunedin— Total ... 69,273 51,240 Whisky ... 54,170 34,330 Other Ports — Total ... 80,458 66,810 Whisky ... 55,778 42,631 New Zealand— Total ... 603,507 386,771 Whisky ... 406,681 234,473