“BEER DRINKERS ARE CONSISTENT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 111, 1 August 1927, Page 7

“BEER DRINKERS ARE CONSISTENT”

CUSTOMS REVENUE FALLING-OFF FOR JULY A FALLING away in clearances of spirits from bond partly accounts for a drop in the July Customs revenue at Auckland. The figure this year is £156,640 Os 10d, compared with £198,046 17s 11d for July of last year. June was marked by extremely lieav'clearances of spirits from bond. Merchants feared the application of a heavier tariff, as a result of the Tariff Commission’s report l.> Parliament. and they drew heavily on bonded stocks. July produced a logical reaction. the clearances being abnormally small. PREMATURE ALARM As it happened, the alarm of the merchants was premature, for the tariff report has not yet been presented, and the commission’s time has been extended until August 15. In August there will probably be

fairly heavy clearances of spirits, to balance the light July. Another factor contributing to the July shrinkage is the general reduction in imports. Relatively few motorcars, for instance, passed through the Customs The weather also took a hand. Freighters delayed by stormy seas will arrive early next week, so that their cargoes will be taxed in August, instead of in July. Next month, too. the spring importations will start to come in. STATISTICAL COMPARISON The statistical comparison is: July, 1927 July, 1926. Customs Revenue £156,640 0 10 £198,046 17 11 Beer Duty £7,978 1 8 £7,298 19 9 In June last the Customs revenue was £278.000, compared with £163,000 in June of 1926, the big increase being largely attributable to clearances of spirits. BEER DUTY CONSISTENT “The beer duty yields consistent revenue,” said a Customs official this morning, “and the figures show no unexpected variations. “The beer drinker is a solid and reliable contributor to the T reasury.” INCREASE SHOWN FIGURES FROM WELLINGTON Press Association. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Customs duty for July amounted to £207,339 10s 6d, against £195,747 11s 4d for the same month last year. Beer duty was £3,658 10s 4d, compared with £3,495 5s 7d for last July.