BEER DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1863, 24 September 1913, Page 8

BEER DUTY.

SALE OF KEGS FROM HOTELS.

A deputation representing tho Licensed Victuallers' Association and tho Wine and Spirit' Merchants' Association waited upon the Hon. P. M. B. Fisher, Minister of' Customs yesterday, regard-' ing a change proposed to bo made in tho law relating to the salo of beer in bulk by retail liquor sellers under tho Beer Duty Act Amendment Bill. Tho law at present allows liquor sellers to draw off beer from tho cask and sell it in small kegs or jars in quantities not exceeding two gallons. Hio proposed now Bill reduces the maximum to 0110 gallon and a half. In the course of discussion tho Minister stated that, from,tho Department's point of view,, the present law was defective, in that under it, it was possible for two gallon kegs of' beer to get into tho hands of consumers without having a duty stamp upon them and tho Department could not tell upon discovery of such kegs whether tliat beer was obtained from a hotel or a brewery. It was therefore impossible to say whether the beer had been legally sold by a hotelkceper or illegally sold by a brewer without duty being paid thereon. Mr. Bcvcridgo, who acted as spokesman for tho deputation, pointed out tliat if a man came to a liotelkeepcr at Christmas time and asked to be supplied with two gallons of beer in a jar the hotelkceper could not supply him becauso he could not procure' duty stamps to put on the receptacle, but ho could sell an unopened cask containing two, gallons or two jars of one gallon each. Ho added that in any event it would bo impossible for the hotelkceper to imposo any increased | charge 011 tho public. Mr. Fisher pointed out that the reason for this was that tho Department know tliat a one-gallon jar could not come from a brewery. Ho stated also that tliero was no intention of taxing the retailer. Ho promised to give the mattor his careful consideration with a view to finding some solution of the difficulty which at present existed.