CO885-(11-12) — Page 441

PUBLI

PECORD OFFICE

Reference -

| ༄། ༄། ། རྭ། ། mmmm.C.O.882/12

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

IALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BF REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOI TO

238

class (estimated by the Census Commissioner at 110,690, includ- ing young persons over 10 years of age). Taking the average working-class earnings of the agricultural labourer at 90 cents per day-an extreme figure-this expenditure per head represents more than a whole month's wages of which about four-fifths is taken by the State in excise revenue. This, it will be observed, is a minimum estimate, arrived at by including young persons below the age when the drinking habit is likely to have been contracted, and certain sections of the population, such as the Mohammedan and Chinese communities, which are not addicted to the habit. It will be apparent, therefore, that the average expenditure on rum and the contribution to excise revenue thereby made by the adult working man outside these communities will represent a much higher proportion of his annual wages, and one which cannot be regarded as otherwise than greatly excessive. The figures quoted for 1930-31 and recent years are, however, low in comparison with those of the war period- and of the years immediately following. For the period 1915-16 to 1921-22, inclusive, the yearly issues from the rum warehouse for home consumption and the Excise duty collected thereon were as follows:-

Rate of Duty

per fure,

Rs.

1.67

1.67

Year.

Issues. Litres.

1915-16

1,135,915

Excise Duty.

Rs. 1,897,221

1916-17

1,324,078

2,212,389

1917-18

1,384,240

2,316,852

1.67

1918-19

1,356,702

2,287,686

1.67

1919-20

1,832,533

3,183,556

1920-21

2,044,249

1921-22

1,887,349

4,294,783 3,963,925

2.10 2.10 2.10

16. The rapid increase in drink consumption during this period, which was mainly due to the high rates of wages then ruling in the sugar industry, led to the appointment in the year 1919 of a Commission to enquire into and report upon the liquor traffic and to suggest such measures as appeared necessary and expedient for its control." The Commission reported in favour of restric- tive measures, and as a result drastic legislation on the lines proposed was passed in the year 1922, the object of which, accord- ing to the Government declaration was "to make rum and other spirits dearer, weaker, and more difficult to get." Among the expedients adopted for effecting this purpose were an increase in the Excise duty from Rs.2.10 to Rs.2.75 per litre, the lowering of the alcoholic strength of the liquor issued for sale to traders from 23 to 19 degrees Cartier, a restriction of the hours of sale, the abolition of all existing licences for sale, numbering 1,346, and the creation of a new single class of licensee, the number of whom

239

363

was restricted to 149. The effect of this legislation was imme- diate, the total home consumption of rum falling to 511,032 litres for the year 1922-23 and remaining at approximately the same point for 1923-24. This decrease, however, was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the imports of wine which rose from 2,496,686 litres in 1922 to 4,475,821 litres in 1923. To meet this increase the import duties in still wines were raised in April, 1924, with the result that the imports for that year fell to 3,569,795 litres. A further protection was given to the local industry later in the same year when an Ordinance (No. 28 of 1924) was passed abolishing the single class of rum licence created by the legislation of 1922, and giving the right of retail sale to several different classes of licensee, the total number of whom was fixed at 622. The con- sumption of rum again rose under this Government stimulus, reaching a total of 70,173 litres for the year 1924-25, but fell again to 503,580 litres in the following year. This decline was attributed to the excessive licence fee charged upon the retail sellers, the number of whom fell from 622 to 266 within the year. In June, 1926, another Government Commission was appointed to report on the existing conditions of the liquor traffic with special reference to the working of the Liquor Ordinances. A year later, and while the Commission were still conducting their investigations, a communication was received by the Government from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the Chinese traders by whom the bulk of the retail liquor trade of the Colony is carried on, representing that, while the existing restrictions had proved in- effective in checking intemperance, they had ruined the trade of the legitimate trader and had caused great loss to the Treasury owing to the widespread illicit distillation to which they had given rise. The Chamber proposed that all shopkeepers should be allowed to obtain liquor licences, that the cost of such licences should be reduced, that restrictions on Sunday sale should be abolished, that the strength of rum delivered at the Government warehouse should be increased again to 23 degrees Cartier, but with no corresponding increase on the rate of duty, and that the strength for retail sale should not be below 19 degrees or over 20 degrees. Drafts of ordinances for modifying the law on the lines of these recommendations were submitted for consideration to the Commission who approved them, subject to a number of non-essential modifications. The new legislation (Ordinances 29 and 31 of 1927) may be described as a complete reversal of the Government's earlier temperance policy. Rum was again made stronger and easier to get. Sunday closing was abolished, the hours of weekday sale were lengthened, licences were made more numerous and cheaper to obtain, the strength of the spirit as issued from the Government warehouse was raised from 19 degrees to 23 degrees Cartier, with no adjustment of Excise duty, and the

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