WHISKY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1929, Page 6

WHISKY

EFFECT of HIGH DUTY

"WELLINGTON. April 10

Is whisky becoming a rich man’s drink? According to a statement made by Mr E. Gruhame-Johnstone, director of the firm of John Walker and Sons. Ltd., who is visiting Wellington, there is a possibility of this result. -\l,. (irahame-fohnstone. commenting on the duty on whisky, said that people in New Zealand and Australwhere the duty was «%s and 3os per gallon respectively, had very little to complain about, lor at Home the dntv was as much as 72s per gallon Whisky distillers were hoping against hope'that the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Winston Churchill) would announce reductions in duty when lie presented his Budget to the House of Commons in the course oi ;1 few days They were not very optimistic about it. however, as a reduction in whisky duties was not what one might regard as a popular ..motion cry. Probably the Chancellor would go in for something a little more spectacular in the way of political window dressing. The high duties on whisky had had the effect of greatly reducing the quantity consumed, and the consumption of whisky at Home at present was only half what it was in 1013. I n |<)i:>. ;i bottle of whisky could he •procured for 3s (id. hut now it was 12s fid a bottle. Whisky was really becoming the rich man s drink. Wry largely whisky was a British beverage. Although his firm exported quantities to every country in the world except Russia, there was very little whisky consumed by people living on the Continent, although tourists demanded it. In derma ny and Spain a certain amount of whisky, was consumed by so-called smart young men. who«« ''eight -T ambition was to follow English customs. Japan consumed a fair-quantity of whisky and lie anticipated that before long there would be a tremendous sale for whisky in China. At ptosent the Chinese rather favoured brandy, hut they were swinging over to whisky.