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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 74

Why Working Men Should Vote out the Liquor Traffic

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Why Working Men Should Vote out the Liquor Traffic.

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Workmen should support good labour-employing and wage paying-industries. The following facts and figures show the manufacture of alcoholic liquors employs few labourers, and pays small amounts in wages.

A Blue Book, No. C 6535—1891, entitled "Wages and Production," shows the percentage for wages to receipts. Sir M. H. Beach was President of the Board of Trade at the time. For very £100 spent, the following is the

PERCENTAGE IN WAGES.MATHEMATICAL WAGE PROPORTION. 55.0 Mining. 37.0 Shipbuilding. 34.7 Docks and Harbours. 31.4 Tramways. 30.0 Railways. 29.0 Agriculture. 29.0 Canals 29.2 Cotton. 25.7 Waterworks. 23.3 Iron and Steel. 22.6 Textile. 20.0 Gas. 16.7 7.5 Shipping.

Now to show that the same facts apply to this country let us refer to another table of figures which by a reference to various industries in this Colony will show not only the amount of wages [unclear: said] in comparison with the outputs, but that the money paid to workers in breweries is at the [unclear: case] of a much lower percentage than is paid by the other industries specified. The following particulars are taken from the New Zealand Year-Book :—

No.oF INDUSTRIESNo. OF HANDS.VALUE OF OUTPUT.WAGES PAID.MATHEMATICAL WAGE PROPORTION.3,266 3,204 2,569 1,971 261 494 476 1,655 1,943 1.290£ 832,959 234,266 354,559 278,803 91,691 56,830 300,508 279,777 403,736 166,679 £ 271,814 116,168 214,185 183,582 17,021 25,190 54,825 173,538 124,990 52.750343 Saw Mills. 177 Flax Mills. 142 Printing.155 Gold Mining.112 rated Water.106 Brick and Tile. 102 Brewing. 95 Collieries.47 Boots and Shoes. 19 Clothing.

Thus we find the liquor trade stands far below any other in its reward of the labourer. Let [unclear: the] regard it in another aspect:—In 1894 the beer output was, £961,486, which paid in wages £192,297. Had the same amount of money represented the output of sawn timber, wages would have received £320 492; from the same amount in flax-dressing, wages share would have been £480,743; from clothing factories, £320,472; but beer only returns £192,297, being £128,297 [unclear: was] than the lowest of the other industries enumerated. This proportion holds good universally. The traffic is therefore no friend of the wage earner. It is a destroyer of valuable grain food, [unclear: to] producer of crime, cause of enormous expenditure, a promoter of commercial, political, and [unclear: social] corruption, and the foe of every kind of improvement and prosperity.

Mr Samuel Joshua the leading distiller of Victoria, made the following statement when [unclear: giving] evidence before the Tariff Commissioners of that Colony recently :—"I am ready to [unclear: submit] that distilling is not a thing that is employing a large amount of labour. With 1000 men [unclear: I] would very likely drown the world in spirits."

Issued by the Grand Lodge Of New Zealand, I.O.G.T. Price, 2s 6d per 1000 copies; or, Including postage 3s 6d per 1000 copies.