LICENSING STATISTICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 45, 2 December 1871, Page 8

LICENSING STATISTICS.

Some returns as to the trade in beer, wine, and spirits in the United Kingdom have just been issued in the form of a Parliamentary paper, which was moved for by Mr Bass. They refer to the year ending the 31st March, 1870. Ln that year 4,886 maltsters' licenses were issued in England, 408 in Scotland, and 156 in Ireland. The brewers' licenses numbered —33,471 in Eng land, 244 in Scotland, and 125 in Ireland. The numbers of beer licenses were—129,692 in England, 1744 in Scotland, and 18,322 in Ireland. The total numbers of spirit licenses issued were—in England, 97,519 ; in Scotland, 14,853 ; and in ireland, 17,426. The spirit dealers who are licensed to sell wholesale (in quantities of not less than two gallons) number, in England, 5320 ; and as showing the effect of allowing grocers and other such tradesmen, to sell quantities of not less than one reputed quart bottle, it may be mentioned that 3251 such licenses are in England. The licensed victuallers in England alone number 68,739, and in addition 18,209 occasional licenses for short periods were issued in the period embraced by this report. There are in England 3737 dealers in foreign wine only, and 34,016 who take out both wine and spirit licenses. In England, 3257 wine licenses were granted to keepers of refreshment houses, 930 of which are returned as being rated at upwards of 502. The retailers of wine, not to be consumed on the premises, number 2799. Of the 6541 keepers of refreshment houses, 2768 were rated under 30Z per annum, and 3773 above that figure. The revenue derived in the year under consideration from the licensed trade in beer, spirits, and wine is summed up as follows:—England : Licenses, 1,446,6082 17s Sdj malt duty, 6,022,2842 4s lid ; spirit duties, 5,795,8492 10s; total, 13,264,742/ 12s 4d. Scotland: Licenses, 130,204 Z 18s 9d; malt duty, 314,0692 5s lOd ; spirit duties, 2,682,0012 10s; total, 3,126,2752 14s 7d. Ireland : Licenses 157,0342 Is 4d; malt duty, 390,0652 9s

0d ; spirit duties, 2,512,4882; total 3,059.5872 10s 9d. The total revenue derived from the trade in this country thus amounted to "19,450,606? 17s Bd*; besides which 4,124,628 Z was paid as duty on foreign and colonial spirits, and 1.478,862/ as duty on wine.