The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-20
mm 90 Our WINE 41ssue.

The. San Ftancisco Merchant says: On
all the Plantations on the ISLANDS hSEe
He managers, book keepers, engineers
oVergeers and sugar boilers among whom
the trade might be extended BESIDES IN
Honolulu itself. Further, therSare severai
thousand Portuguese laborers VINO aye
vine consumers and who would purchase
our cheaper CHASED wines. We nave o1ten
wondered why there was no greater demand
in this direction, but we have at length
arrKbd at solution of the problem winch
is BY no means difficult to elucidate now
tRat we know the answer.
The duty on wines in Honolulu IS as tol-
lows: Over Is and under 30-proof, 81 per
gallon; under 18-preof, 40 cents per dozen
quarts, 20 cents per dozen pints and 10
cents gallon in bulk. We pay in San
Francisco for our small supplies 20 cents
Gor a single gallon. Add to this % cents
for freight and Is cents for duty, it should
be sold in Honolulu at $1.15 gallon for
shipment Of single gallon. Ofsettlng
the extra charges for fees and carriage
against a reduced price for the sale OF a
larger quantity In bulk the same rates
should hold. Even allowing an increase of
ten cents a gallon it could be proftably
disposed of at $1.25 a gallon. But 1t is
actually sold there at $1.75 for gallon
demijohn. This is by no means the worst
case. A former resident at Honolulu, who
is now In S61-fFrancisco, tells us that he
purchased 6 case of California wine shortly
before leaving and was charged SO for it.
On demonstrating at this exorbitant outrage
he was told that the duty was 50 gallon
or $3.50 for the case, the wine being be-
tween Is and 80 per cent proof spirits
Now we know that California wine averages
from 10 to IL per cent alcoholic strength,
and the duty collectable should only have
been 20 cents. The freight on a single
case would be 30 cents, allow 80 cents for
other charges, allow even 50 for cost of the
wine, bottling and casing, and this would
give 81 as fair charge with fair profit
instead of the So that was wrung out of the
unfortunate purchaser.
California wine does not need fortifying
for shipment to Honolulu, and to say that
it is over Is per cent alcoholic strength not
only Injuries the reputation of our manu-
facture, but also tends to prevent its con-
sumption by those who would be inclined
to freely drink light wines especially in a
hot climate. We do not believe there. was
a mistake in the Custom House in this in
stance because in the two cases mentioned,
the wine in the demijohn and in the case
were precisely of the same character. We
can only assume then that an extortionate
charge was made for the sake of few dol
lars. Such sales will certainly prevent any
large increase in this direction, and our
Island friends should look to it that they
are not made the victims of an unscrupul.
Gus salesman. The duty on California wines
imported at the Islands should be entirely
abolished on reciprocity grounds, but while
it does exist it would be we'll that the alco-
holic strength be certified to by the Hawaii
an Consul General in San Francisco before
shipment. A fair,proft in trade is permits
sible but avaricious greed should not be
tolerated.