AUSTRALIAN WINES IN ENGLAND.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1690, 21 July 1879, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN WINES IN ENGLAND.

A Select Committee of the House of Commons is sitting to take evidence on the subject of the wine duties, and some witnesses hare been called to show the interests of the Australasian colonies in the matter. Sir Arthur Blyth, agent-general for the colony of South Australia, said the vine was almost a weed in Australia, as it grew bo rapidly and so abundantly. Tho quantity of wino made wa» very considerable, and an export trade with Great Britain had been commenced and was still carried on, tho export last year being very much above that of the previous year. The natural wine of Australia had a strength above that which was allowed in England even at tho Is duty. In 1875 a Commission was appointed to take evidence with a view of proving that their wines, without any addition of spirits whatever, were very considerably above 20 per cent. They did that in consequence of doubts being expressed about it. Some of the natural wino, without any addition of spirit, would contain 40 per cent. of alcohol. Another evil had been found in tho non-admiesion of their wines at the Is duty, and they had been branded in tho

English market as if fortified with spirit, and were looked upon as very intoxicating drinks. The chairman of the commission, who was the president of the Upper House in Australia, was now in England, and would give evidence if the committee required it. The Australians felt that their national produce, without any fortification of spirit, might fairly claim to be admitted into the mother country on such terms as would permit of their competing with other countries on fair terms. He was speaking, of course, for South Australia. —By the Chairman: There is a very great variety of wine. Als duty would be very satisfactory to the Australian people, and the reduction of the duty from 2s 6d to Is would greatly stimulate the growth of the vine and the exportation of wine to England.—By Sir J. McKenna: The industry languished some years ago, but it is reviving again now. The colonists do not object to the Is duty.—By Mr Hanbury : There is not a large quantity of wine so high in strength as 40 per cent. If the Is duty took in wine of 35 per cent, in strength that would include the great bulk of the wine. The wine most used in Australia was the strong wine, about a pint being consumed each day by each person. The wine-houses sell a large tumblerfull of wine for 6d. Supposing the production of wine became profitable there would be no limit to it. Mr William Milne, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry which sat in Australia in 1875, said the exportation of wine was very small indeed, in consequence of the differential duty. The only other country they exported wine to was New Zealand. The average strength of the wine of South Australia would be 28 to 29 per oent., and the bulk of it was red wine. The wines lasted by the Commission were of different ages, some being ten years old, and he believed the strongest were those that were the oldest. The production at present was limited owing to the difficulty of finding a market, but if the duty was reduced a great area could be given over to the cultivation of the viae and the increase in the exportation would be very marked.—By Mr Eorster : I think the red wine preponderates, and for the home cansumption I believe the wine is fortified to increase the strength, as the majority of the population consists of persons born in England, and their taste is for a stronger wine than will suit the natural colonists. They charge a duty upon the wine sent to Now Zealand, but I cannot say what it is, though I believe it is the same » that charged on foreign wines. For the grapes ft price ef about £3 or £4 per ton is paid. I do not make wine myself, and I sell my grapes at that price.