A TIDAL WAVE OF WETNESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1922, Page 1

A TIDAL WAVE OF WETNESS.

An article of remarkable interest, appears in “Lcslio’s Weekly” (of New York), dated June 3rd 1922, from the pon of Samuel Hopkins Adams, one of the foremost journalists in the States.

This article: explains how the consumption of wine in the United States has now reached the amazing total of 100,Otto,boo gallons per annum. The highest mark in pro-prohibition days was certainly not above 75,000,000 gallons. An increase of 33 per cent, is certainly an unexpected development of the dry regulations j Yet this manufacture and consumption are almost wholly within the law.

Although it is legal to makci and sell “near Ijeer,” Mr Adams shows that about 10, boo,(Wo barrels of “lawless” Tidier were mainifnethrod in 1921, the bulk of it being produced in private homes. Much of this finds its way to the saloons, which are operating more and more openly in the larger cities. There are probably 1,000 saloons in Now York City and about 1,500 in Philadelphia. The legalising of the immense wineindustry makes a fascinating tale. Where, before prohibition, the Californians had made their wines and sold them at low prices in competition with the more favoured foreign vintages, they now sold grapes, the raw material of wine, in such quantities and at such prices as had never been dreamed /of. 86,000 acres of new vineyards were added to the Californian plantings in 1921, an increase of 21 per pent, of the total acreage. “The railroads of the country carried in 1921 about 400,000.000 tons of grapes. On tiro basis of expert manufacture. one ton yields 150 gallons of wine; but. as a matter of fact, the home manufacture method stretches it out to more than 200 gallons, Accepting the former basis, however, oo.obojboo gallons are thus to be reckoned upon, at the smallest estimate, as having been derived from railroad shipments. “Imported raisins, give a significant clue as to what is going on. The voa.r 1920 saw ten times as many raisins imported ns in the lour previous veers put together. Of course this nuiv have been in response to a sudden and passionate addiction to rice pudding, on the part of the American public; but the ricc-grov-ing figures fail to support the hypothesis. There is at least ground for suspecting'that the raisin in this manifestation. represents that potentiality known as “kick.” Similarly, currant imports doubled in the tour years from 1910 to 1920. Inking all elements into consideration, it is by no means all extreme estimate to sot the figure of KM.000.000 gallons of wine a.s the present yearly rate ot production of this country. The former high marks was certainly not over 75.000,000 gallons. In view of the facts recorded above, it is no wonder that Mr Adams declares that “we are becoming, perhaps have already become, a nation of home -brevers anil homo vintners. The New Zealand voter wants to know. “Is Prohibition a success? r pjij s article shows it is not, and never can ho. Vote Continuance I—4o.