DEARER BEER.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1920, Page 4

DEARER BEER.

CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 9

The increase in the retail price of beer was decided upon by the Canterbury Licensed Victuallers’ Association consequent on the brewers advancing the price of beer per hogshead by about 7s. The pre-war price (£4) of tho hogshead now varies according to the brewers supplying the beer from £5 5s to £5 10s. There have been three or four advances on tho wholesale price of beer during and since the war. Brewers ascribe these to the increase in the cost of production. The latest rise is stated to be caused by the high price of barley. There was a shortage in the Dominion yield, and supplies at high prices had to be obtained from Australia. Breweries are still working on Australian stocks, and are compelled to pay the Canterbury farmers from 7s 6d to 8s per bushel for this year’s supplies. However, men in the retail trade state that the rise preceding the last one, of about 71 per cent, was put on simply to recoup brewers for their contributions to the fighting fund in respect to the liquor referendum. Contributions were then made by hotelkeepers, brewers, wine merchants according to their vested interests. At about tlic same time an increase was made in the wholesale price of spirits which was said to he for the same reason. Concerning the retail price of beer, hotelkeepers state it has been caused first by the increase in the price of the hogshead since and during the war, and second by rises in wages and the high cost of glasses the price of which is said to have risen quite 300 to 400 per ccht. .