THE N.Z. DRINK BILL.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2507, 7 July 1915, Page 5

THE N.Z. DRINK BILL.

f A REPLY TO "SIMPLE ARITHMETIC." Sir,—On Saturday/last you published a letter under the nom-de-plume "Simplo Arithmetic," which I find was also published by tho "Lyttelton Times." in Christchurch, under tho pen name of "Critic." The writer accuses me of numerous "errors in the computation of'tho Drink Bill for 1914." As_ usual with anonymous writers, •'Simple . Arithmetic's" remarks aro couched in somewhat offensive language, to which I should in ordinary circumstances decline to reply. But tho drink bill is a matter of public interest, and an exception must therefore bo made. "Simplo Arithmetic" charges me with 1 carelessness. Before publishing the quantities of tho various liquors in tho annual drink bill, I have in every case taken the precaution of obtaining a special return compiled by the Customs Department, and signed by the Comptroller of Customs himself. These returns give full details, and ought to be accepted as entirely reliable. . Differences (if any) between them and the Year Book are probably clerical errors. A copy .of the return for 1914 is published in the "Vanguard" of July 3, aiid anvono can refer to it there. I have in every case scrupulously adhered to the signed return for the year in question. The charge of carelessness is therefore -without foundation. But what about "Simple Arithmetic's" figures? ' He. says: "It is in New Zealand-made', beers' that Mr. Adams makes.,the most flagrant mistake. In 1915 the quantity was 10,300,416 gallons (Year Book, p. 290)," etc. Unfortunately for your correspondent, he has not had sufficient experience to a_void'the pitfalls of statistical compilation, and so. has blundered badly. A reference to the "drink i bill" will show that the figures for imported- beer and beer brewed -in New Zealand aro thero given separately. The Year-Book does not give them separately, but instead gives the total of beer consumed, including both imported and locally-brewed beer. In the "drink bill" for 1913 . the figures are given thus:— , 1 , Gallons." Imported beer 299,216 Beer -brewed in New Zealand 10,001,200 These'added together give the,. Year Book figures '. 10,300,416 "Simplo Arithmetic's" second charge is therefore disproved. The "carelessness" and the "mistake" are both his own.' "Then as to prices," says your cor- i respondent, "Mr; A. S. Adams is considerably -out. He puts spirits down at £2'per gallon, when he must know, I if he knows anything at all about buying -whisky, l that that figure is from 20 to 30 'per cent, too high." . Now, I readily concede to "Simplo Arithmetic" tho experience in buj-ing whisky, which I cannot claim. But the Comptroller's return shows the not value of spirits (duty paid)' in ' store. This works out at 255. ljd. per gallon. To that i3to bo added'(l) the importer's gross profit, (2) the publican's or retailer's gross profit.' Deducting 20 per cent, from £2 leaves 32s.',which, gives ■6s. 10id; per gallon-"to divide between the importer and the publican. If tho importer takes 2s. 6d. only, tho poor publican would get 45.-4} d. In bar sales a gallon' at 325. would have to be divided into 64 sixpenny drinks—andi all; for a profit of 52 pence. That would surely ruin'the publican! Forty shillings per gallon has beeii j taken for many years as a fair average retail price, including sales by botflo and by tho glass, ana bearing in mind that the spirits are frequently "broken down" by addition of water or other liquid. It is impossible to do more than estimate the actual retail •' cost of liquor to the consumer. The last paragraph of "Simple Arithmetic's" letter'is grotesque. He there, says:; "Mr.'Adams's conclusion is that there has been an increase in the quan-, tity and value -consumed equal 'to £108,704, spread over an increase of population of 30,682. But'. when Mr. Adams gives tho total consumption as £3 13s. lOd. for.' the year 1914, the increase of £108,704 spread' over 30,682" persons only gives £3 10s. 10} d-> an error in this connection alone of- 3s. per head." This exhibits gross inaccuracy in quotation, and utter incapacity to. understand tho question. To use his own-.phrase, "any schoolboy could havo' detected this error." The: total value of liquor' consumption for the year £4,246,357) is, of course, spread over tho wholo population of 1,149,171. The expression "spread over" is not mine, and. "Simplo Arithmetic" must accept responsibility for any confusion ho' has introduced by its use. 'To bring the problem within "Simple Arithmetic's" comprehension, we will suppose that'in .1913 twelve gee'se laid 144* eggs. That-would - give, an' average of twelve eggs per goose. •• If j then, in 1914, fifteen geese laid 165 eggs, ac-. tual average of eggs_ per goose, 11, but increase of'geese .3, increase of eggs 21, according to "Simple Arithmetic" the average eggs per goose, 7. If lie cannot see that, let him ask one of tho geese. . : Consideration for your space forbids further reply—l am, etc., (Signed) A. S. ADAMS. Dunedin, July 5.