On The Brink Over The Demon Drink
p. 75 · Read in the full issue
CALEDONIANS are now drinking so much liquor that they can not drink more “without real danger for the whole population A Noumea newspaper editor said this recently in commenting on the latest import figures for alcoholic beverages.
The figures show that New Caledonia imported 6i million litres of liquor last year—3oo,ooo litres more than in 1964.
Last year s imports were made up of nearly 3\ million litres of beer C c o o St n™ s ABs6 > loo ’‘ litres of wine costing $A726,270; and 58,900 litres of sparkling wine and champagne, costing $A106,690.
Meanwhile, the local brewery produced 601,700 litres of beer.
With 3.785 litres equal to one gallon, the total quantity of liquor available to New Caledonians last year was more than 1,900,000 gallons —roughly one gallon a fortnight for every man, woman and child in the country.