LICENCE TO DISTIL ALCOHOL REFUSED

Chronicle (Levin), 16 August 1947, Page 5

LICENCE TO DISTIL ALCOHOL REFUSED

Pres p Association)

(Per

WE! blXUTOX; August 15. The House of Representatives inet tliis morning. Mr. K. Petric ('Otahuhu'), chairnian of the indusfries and ouiaicrcc comniit tce, reporting to tlic llousc on tlic pelition by Mr. ( iiarics John Bax, of Wel lington, for a lirem-e to distil alcoliot, said the roiun.il tcc had no reeoiiiinend ation to make. Mr. O. M. Bowden (Karori), a memlicr of tlic eommiitee, said an interest ing qucstion had iiccu opcncd up by tlic jictition to which tlic coniiiiittee gave its closc at lcnlioii, but camc to the conelusion that bccau-c the pctitioncr hau bccn lincil j»rc\ ioi'.sly for distilling with out a liccmc, the •-oniiuittee v. as bouim lcgally, to dccjinc tlic uppii>*ation. 'llic coiiiiuirtcc cousid»*rcd it \yts not cconomical to csta'oiisii a distiilcry in Xcw Zcaland bccuu.-c ut prcnMit tlicre was not sutli.-icnt grain to divcrt for tliat purpose. Anotlicr 1 o()(i acrcs of barlcv woubl require to (>c growit. Xcithcr was lliere a sutlicicnt quantity of sugar. Mr. F. Langstone (Roskiilj: (Irow sugar bcct. Mr. Bowden said Australia produced sugar alcohol and utiliscd waste saw dust to produce uood alcoUol for lndustrial purposcs. For ihe industry to be conic succcs-fui in Xew Zcaland it woiijd require to bc undci taken on ti verv large sctilc by jicopje with tecliin cal rcsourccs. Mr. II. clmpman (Wellington On tral;, wiio int rodiiccd tlic pctition, sant he rcgrcttcd tliat ihe coinmittcc did not make a favouriiidi' r coniincndat ion Alcohol had niany uses and tlic pcfitioned had discoi en-d lio.s t.j | r iductalcohol cconoinically. Alcohol for aii sorts of purposcs miglit vcry convcniently and cconomicallv bc mtuiufuetur ed in Xew Zctiltind, but apparently to lneet the wislirs of overseas exporters obstaclcs had in tlic past been piaccd m tlic way of luanufacturing alcohol 111 thc Dominion. Tlic pctitioncr was vcry sincere in his desire to nnuiul'acturc ab-ohol. Mr. Watts: Wliat kind? Mr. ('liapii'tui: For till hinds of purposcs. I cannot see any logjcal objection to tlic niiinuhictiire of alcohol m Kew Zcaland. Mr. Chapman said tliat local nianufacture would save stcrling and dollars and shipping space. Mr. A. F. Ftithcriand (Hauraki): What about ("ustonis? Mr. ''liapman said the committee would liave bccn justi'ied in recom incuding -the (lovcrnmcut to cbnsider thc pet it ioner 's applicat ion. and rcgrcttcd tliut a more satisfactory recommend ation had not bccn annlc. Vlr. Pctric, rcjdying, said the committee gave tlic pctitioncr every coasidcration, and did not (loul t tliat luwas sincere. But no one in the counm eould exiieriment with a v. orui until a Jicence had been obtained. Thc liev. ('. Carr (Timaru): Fven a worm wili tuni. Mr. Langstone: The early bisd gets the worm. Mr. Petrie said the petitioner 's pre vious prfwecution prevented the com mittec giving the pctition favourablo consideration. Over 70 years ago tlicre were two distillers in Xcw Zealaiul, but tliey had failed eventuallv. Mr. P. E. Coiinolly (Dunedin Fentral): IIow niany are tlicre now? Mr. A. C. Baxter (Raglan): IIow

about the Iving Country onos? Mr. A. (r. Osborne (Onehunga): How .ibout Hokonui? Mr. Petrie said it had been proveu ocnchisivc.ly to the satisfaction of the .ommittee that such an industry would not be an economic. one for Xew Zea.nnd. The country did not produce .iutticient grain for the its own require.nents. The committee had considered cliat no satisfactory case had been made out for the manufacture ot whisky in New Zealaiul, and the 'weighi of evidenee was against such a proposai. The committee, therefore, had no recommendation to make.