SMOKING AND DRINKING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1025, 3 August 1911, Page 2

SMOKING AND DRINKING.

There is some interesting information as to the consumption of articles in common use in a paper which was presented to Parliament last week. It shows, for instance, that every member of the adult male population Maoris) consumed —or else someone else consumed it for him — 2.37 gallons of spirits end 7.10 pounds of tobacco, as compared with 2.26 gallons of spirits and 7.17 pounds of tobacco in 1909-10. The total consumption of spirits increased from 719,138 gallons to 767,620 gallons, and of tobacco from 2,278,035 pounds to 2,295,777 pounds. The average consumption of tobacco was lower than for many years past with the exception of 1906, when it was 7.06 pounds. The consumption of wine was at the rate of 0.21 gallon per head of the whole population over fifteen years of age, a very slight increase on the previous year. The total demand was 715,908 gallons, as against 702,379 gallons in 1909. There was also a slight increase in the importations of ale and beer, which was used at the rate of 0.38 gallon per head of the adult population. The total consumption was 271,594 gallons, as against 252,320 gallons the previous year. New Zealand brewed beer was drunk at exactly the same rate per head as in 1909, 13.1 gallons. The total consumption was 9,399,440 gallons. Nearly seven and a quarter pounds of tea are credited to every man, woman and child in the Dominion, an increase of .14 pounds per head in the year. The total importation was 7,582,530 pounds, as against 7,302,310 pounds in 1909. Sugar was used at the rate of 107.9 pounds per head last year, a decrease of nearly seven pounds since 1909. The actual importation totalled 113,337.875 pounds, compared with 118,274,912 pounds the year before. Of coffee, cocoa and chicory, which are lumped together, only a little over half a pound per head was used.