THAT THIRST—ITS MONEY COST.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 775, 13 October 1922, Page 7

THAT THIRST —ITS MONEY COST.

(By .1. W. Olphcrt, M.A.. F.U.E.S.) For lire year January Ist. In December 31st, 1921, New Zealand consumed 1-1,347,111 gallons <d - beer. 1.000,875 gallons of\ spirits, and 225,987 gallons of wine. The lolal estimated cost of this thirst was £7,551,274. The magnitude, of this expenditure may be realised from I lie following facts: —For the same year: II is more than twice, as much as was spent on education: it is seven limes as much as was spent on hospitals: il is £2,000.000 more than was spent on pensions fn rreturned soldiers from 1916 to 1921: it is twice as much as was spent on public works: it is twice as much as the value of all Ihe minerals extracted from all lhe New Zealand mines: it is £1,000,00u more than was spent on the New Zealand railways in (he conveyance of passengers, luggage. parcels, mails, goods and live stock: it is more than Iwiee as much as the total rates collected by all the cities, towns, harbour hoards and other local bodies in New Zealand for llie year 1919-1920. This sum, placed in the hands of Die Government or <>r a local body would do the following tilings:—lt would pay the whole of the expenditure of the railways for Die year, and 4 per cent on the capital of £i 1.400,000 invested in the railways: it would pay the intreest oil war loans of £IOO,000,000 at 41 per cent and leave a sinking fund of £3.n0b.000 for the, year: it owuld pay the whole annual cost of our public schools, technical schools, high schools, and universities, posatl, telegraph and telephone services, public hospitals and charitable aid; invested at 5 per cent it would provide an annual income of more lha.n £3OO for every man, woman and child in Pukekohe: it would provide an income of £:; per week for 24.000 families, ami. counting live to a family, would support i 20,000 people all Ihe year. In the face of these interesting fads, can any reasonable person even attempt to argue that ihe future wealth, happiness and prosperity of the country depend upon the rdenliun of the Liquor Traflic .’ 595