COST OF PROHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 75, 22 December 1920, Page 7

COST OF PROHIBITION

AND EXPENDITURE ON LIQUOR

CAUSES OF INCREASED CONSUMPTION

By Telejrarh-Preas Assooiatlon-Oopyrlßlit

Sydney, December Si. Mr. Waddell, speaking in the Legislative Council, drew attention to the cost of prohibition, which, il .was stated, would involve an expenditure ot eight millions, and' meant throwing 25,000 workers out of employment. The Kev. Mr. Hammond, robutting the cost argument, suggests that if the. Compensation Board estimated the amount ftt 1? or 11 millions it would be unreasonable to pay it in ten-yeni bonds. In the meantime 85 millions could be diverted from drink to other trading clmJinels. An official estimate by the Government Statistician states that, during the year ended' June 30, tho sum of ten millions was spent in intoxicating liquor. This is three millions more than the previous year, and is 275. 3d. per head more. In tihe previous year the drink bill per head' was i£s L's. 7d.

The Statistician-attributes tho increased consumption of. liquor to tile return of tho soklicrti and the general increase in .wages. With each increase- in the lii'ice of liquor, he says, lias come an increased consumption of beer and wine, and a decrease in spirit drinking—Press Assn.