WORLD'S LIQUOR BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1204, 12 August 1911, Page 6

WORLD'S LIQUOR BILL.

WHAT THE NATIONS DRINK. ' A HUGE REVENUE. In a quinquennial return just issued as a White Paper from the' British Board of Trado Office, an interesting survey is made of' the liquors affected by the lead r ',-jng countries of .the world, and the,extent, to which these countries affect' 'them'/ " France, examination showed, is easily first among the wine-bibbers, her average per head for the quinquennial period 1905-9 being 31.5 gallons;,ltaly', which is second in the list, having 25.8 gallons per head as the corresponding figure. The United Kingdom, it will be noted, drinks least wine of all which are given in the list which is appended:— • - Gala. pr. hd. Franco 31.5 Italy ; 25.8 Portugal 20.G i Spain 17.3 Switzerland 15.1* Austraia*Hungary 4.6 Germany ].19 Australia 1.1-1, Belgium 1.04 United. States 0.49 Netherlands. .; 0.35 United Kingdom 0.27 •Average for the four years, 1905 to 1908. On an average the United Kingdom drank during the period 12,000,000 gallons of wine each year. South Africa consumed 5,000,000 gallons, and Australia 4,C0G,000, and the Empire's total was 22,000,000 gallons. French wines are highest in favour with the people of Britain, onethird of the wine entered for the United Kingdom coming from France, while Spain and Portugal respectively supplied a quarter each of tho total. Beer-drinking Countries. When it conies to beer the 'case is j altered; from the bottom tlio United Kingdom moves to second highest place. Only Belgium out-tops it, but the figure for that country approaches double the total for Britain.. The consumption in tho chief countries is shown below:— Gals. pr. hd. Belgium ,|B.G United Kingdom 27.4 Germany 23.7 Denmark 20.5 United States IG.B Switzerland 15.5* Austria 15.2 Sweden 12.S France s.O Norway .j.i •Average for the four years, 1903 to 1908. It may bo of interest to compare the consumption of the Overseas Dominions with that of the Mother Country. These are tho average figures for the same quinquennial period:— Gals. pr. hd. Commonwealth, of Australia 11.0 Dominion of New Zealand 9.8 Dominion of Canada 5.5 Union of South Africn ... 1.3 (1009). Germany occupies third place in the list ,of beer-drinking countries, but the figures are those for the German Customs Union as a whole. They give no idea of- the large consumption of beer in particular portions of the Empire, especially Bavaria, Wurtemburg, and Baden. li'i the year 1899, when the maximum consumption per head in tho Customs Union ,was reached, it amounted to 37.8 gallons in Baden, 42.2 gallons in Wurtemburg, and 51.G gallons in Bavaria, whilst .fir? corresponding figures for 1909 wero 32.1 in Baden and Wurtemburg, and 50.G gallons in Bavaria. Tho consumption in Bavaria per head of population is thereforo greater than any other country in tho world. j Denmark Spirit Bill. As to spirit-drinking, nn the. figures for the five years' period the United Kingdom stands low on l.'ho list, which is easily headed by Denmark, as will be seen by reference to tho tnblo appended :— Gals.nr. hd. Denmark 2.29 . Hungary 1,85 Germany LIS Austria Lit Netherlands 1.39 Franco 1.33 Sweden 1.33 United Slates 1.23 Russia 1.15 Belgium 1.08 United Kingdom '. O.Sfi Norwnv f1.57 Ttalv " 0.4.1 Bulgaria , 0.11 Canada drinks more per head than the Motherland, and the other Dominions arc little behindhand. These werd tho figures:— Gals. pr. hd. Canada 0.57 Australia 0.82 New Zealand -. 0.77 South Africa 0.12* •Average for four years, 1900-09,