REDUCING LIQUOR STRENGTH.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 8

REDUCING LIQUOR STRENGTH.

JOINT ACTION BY AUSTRALIAN STATES, It was liinted by the Victorian Minister for Health. (Mr Bowser) a few days ago that joint action hy the States to reduce the alcoholic strength of liquor ■was probable in the near future. At the. last Premiers' * Conference it ■was agreed that it was in the interests of the health of the community to reduce the' alcoholic strength of both beer , and spirits, and it was resolved that New"' South Wales should draft a Bill for submission to the various States so that similar legislation might be introduced in each of the States. The Minister for .Health in. New South Wales (Mr Fitzgerald) has since drafted! a Bill, and he visited each of the States tb place the, proposals in the. Bill before the different Ministers, for Health. On the 9th inst. he had a preliminary conference with Mr Bowser on the subject, and subsequently he left for Adelaide to discuss the suggested legislation with the Minister for Health there. "There is every possibility of Victoria falling into line with New South AVales "with regard to the general principles of the Bill," said Mr Bowser. The Minister added that he was to confer again -with Mr Fitzgerald when he was passing through Melbourne on his return to Sydney. The chairman of the Board of Health (Dr. Robertson) was present at the interview. The Bill drafted by New South Wales provides that the alcoholio strength of beer should be immediately reduced to Bper cent':, proof spirit for two years. Then; there should be a further reduction to 7 per cent, for three years, after which the strength would be brought down to 6 per cent. Proportionate reductions in the alcoholic strength of spirits were also proposed. * Beer of a strength of 8 per cent, proof spirit, explained Mr Bowser, would) contain 3.85 per cent, of alcohol. A second Bill would also be necessary to reduce the alcoholic strength of wines. After the next conference with Mr Fitzgerald steps would be taken to drafb Bills for the next session of the Viotorian State Parliament, and tho proposals in the New South Wales Bill would probably be followed in the main.