Moresby Will Have

Local Beer On November 26 Joe Bourke’s Dream Comes True

November 26 win be a big occasion for residents of Port Moresby. On that day they will be able, for the first time, to buy local lager, product of the South Pacific Brewery—bottled, or in draught from stainless steel containers.

The privileged few who have ilready sampled the brew say that it is “very good.” If local connois seurs put their seal upon it, the suc cess of South Pacific lager is assured, fhat, of course, is the chance that he promoters took when they began he enterprise—Australians have their )wn fixed ideas about beer—it is lither “good”, or it’s “crook.” If it s, in their estimation, good, they will »uy it; if it is crook, it’s out. In ecent years, P-NG residents have im lorted their beer from everywhere rom Edinburgh to Hongkong, but hey got very little Australian beer mil recently when this suddenly be ame available once more.

A couple of years ago, the South acific Brewery was little more than n idea of Mr. Joe Bourke, of Wau, JG. He secured in Port Moresby a uilding that had been a laundry, nd the rest of the enterprise has een built around that. Most of the apital was subscribed in Papua-New luinea. Messrs. P. A. and Tom toemans (who with Mr. Bourke are le directors of the company) sup lied the enthusiasm, and Mr. J. F. toward, a Sydney brewery engineer, id Mr. R. Meier, European brewer id chemist, the know-how.

Building of the brewery commenced lout 15 months ago, at a time when hiding supplies and raw materials ere in shortest supply. The laundry mains the nucleus of the establish ent, but a great deal of other build g has been done. The brewery derates its own electricity and there extensive plant for water purifica m and refrigeration of stored sup ies.

Beer production began about two onths ago but none has been sold— stly, so that the beer could mature, condly, in order to build up stocks.

Mr. Bourke’s original inspiration as due to the fact that beer in post ar P-NG costs about 4/- per bottle, e thought that local beer could be oduced for almost half that. Actual ice of South Pacific lager when it

goes on sale on November 26 will be 36/9 per dozen, less 3/- refund on one dozen bottles. (Australian beer, in Australia, is 30/- per dozen—when you can get it). Over the bar it will probably cost 1/1 for 7J oz. glass.

This price includes excise at 3/6 per gallon, legislation for which was passed by the October session of P-NG Legislative Council. Mr.

Howard says that this rate is “about what they expected”—but he does not agree that this will give them 1/6 per gallon preference over imported beer, as was stated when the Bill was in troduced. Although excise duty on beer is lower by this amount than customs duty, the local brewery has to pay customs duty on all the raw materials that it imports.

Mr. Howard will not say what the present capacity of the brewery is—

but the Administration is piously hoping that it will produce £lO,OOO worth of revenue for them in 1952- 53, which means about 57,000 gallons of beer, A lot of beer, even in Port Moresby dialect,

Beer Will Be ‘On The House’

Almost the whole of the present production of the brewery will be absorbed in Port Moresby by Burns Philp, Steamships Trading Company and the two Moresby hotels. Only a small amount will at first go over the border into New Guinea.

The brewery does not plan any festivity for November 26—but on a day yet to be fixed early next year, when sufficient stocks have been built up, beer is going to be on the house.

On that day, all comers will be able to drink as much South Pacific as they like—for free.