TEA VERSUS BEER.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 276, 27 June 1888, Page 4

TEA VERSUS BEER.

IsvERCutfJiLL, June 25, A corrini'OXDEXt of the " Southern News " is c.\crcihcd over the rumoured intention of the Government to increase the duty on tea. Me works out the subject in the following fashion :— <l The proposed duty on tea is 6d per lb. Now tea is, in its purchasing state, useless for consumption until converted into a beverago. 3 am ]given to understand that one pound of tea will produce from seven to eight gallons of beverage, but for my example 1 am content to accept the quantity brewed at six gallons. Now six gallons at sixpence (duty on purchased material) shows a return to the revenue of one penny per gallon, whereas one gallon of beer produces to some biands a result of threepence, or in other words, the community has to imbibe three gallons of tea before the revenue is benefited to the same extent as by the consumption ot one gallon of beer. The actual cost of either to the community is immaterial to the question of revenue. The ni'gumcnt ot luxury is claimed by both articles of merchandise. I understand ib to be the wish of the present Government to foster native industries. If so, I would call your attention to the fact thafc all tho money tor the purchase of tea is sent out ot" the colony, whereas all the ingredients for the brewing of beer are bought within the colony, therefore the money remains in our midst. '