H—3B

422. A mischief of a basic character is also alleged—viz., the sale of alcoholic liquor •as an ordinary article of commerce for private profit. It is alleged that, if the demand were not stimulated, or permitted to be stimulated, and that if alcoholic liquor were •available only to meet such demand as exists, or would exist, without stimulation, most of the mischief or evils would disappear. It is also alleged that this result can only be brought about if the incentive to trade in alcoholic liquor for private profit is removed -and if, to that end, the manufacture and sale of liquor is placed in the hands of the State or of some public corporation or corporations acting on behalf of the State. CHAPTER 19.—MISCHIEFS RELATING TO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR 423. The total consumption of beer and the total quantity entered at the Customs for consumption of spirits and of wine and in each case the quantity per head are set out below for the years 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, for the depression years of 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1934, and for the year 1940 (R. 34).

Beer, Spirits, and Wine entered at Customs for Consumption, 1900 to 1940

424. It is thus apparent that, while the quantity of beer consumed in 1940 has .approached three times the quantity consumed in 1900, the consumption of spirits and of wine has steadily declined. It is also apparent that, when money was in short supply during the depression, the consumption of alcoholic liquors decreased rapidly. 425. The convictions for drunkenness and related offences rose from 103*4 per 10,000 of population in 1902 to 120-6 per 10,000 in 1914. During the war of 1914-18, the •convictions for these offences declined as follows (in each case per 10,000): In 1915, 117-9 ; in 1916, 97-3 ; in 1917 (the year 6 o'clock closing began), 78-3 ; in 1918, 63-5. It should be noted that a fall of nearly 20 per 10,000 had occurred between 1915 and 1916, before 6 o'clock closing began to operate. From 1919 to 1921 (inclusive) the figures per 10,000 were as follows : 67-6 ; 71-6 ; and 69. There was a big fall to 43-4 in the depression year of 1922. The figures rose to 58-6 in 1925 and then, for the most part, fell gradually to 21-6 per 10,000 in 1935. The figure in the boom year of 1929 was 46-3. The figures during the depression years of 1931-35 (inclusive and in each case, as before, per 10,000) were as follows : For 1931, .32-1 ; for 1932, 26-7 ; for 1933, 23-3 ; for 1934, 22-3 ; and for 1935, 21-6.

92

Beer. Spirits. Wine. Year. Quantity Quantity Total for Quantity entered for Quantity entered for Quantity Consumption. per Head. Consumption per Head. Consumption per Head. at Customs. at Customs. Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. 1900 6,986,900 8-696 549,932 0-684 116,188 0-145 1910 9,671,030 9-294 767,620 0-737 153,430 0-147 1920 15,106,653 12-288 947-660 0-771 239,880 0-195 1930 12,312,823 8-251 569-656 0-283 198,377 0-133 1931 10,124,849 6-687 378,874 0-250 134,160 0-089 1932 8,868,316 5-807 323,308 0-212 105,725 0-069 1933 8,622,690 5-601 316,755 0-206 116,390 0-076 1934 9,605,721 6-191 324,794 0-209 135,908 0-088 1940 18,369,952 11-220 402,046 0-246 107,355 0-066