§ On the other hand, the decline in productivity of the alcoholic group of Customs duties has been maintained. Foreign spirits show a falling off of £80,000 compared with the receipts of the previous year, and of £47,000 as compared with the Budget estimate in the year just ended. In the case of wine a slight increase over the previous year's receipt had been anticipated, but the result shows a further reduction of £59,000 on the receipts from that source. Under the head of Excise the total receipt has remained almost stationary. An increase of £153,000 was anticipated from beer, of which only one half has been realised. Instead of an increase of £110,000 from British spirits, there is a decrease of 449 £90,000. I pointed out in my Budget statement of last year that the total revenue from alcoholic liquor, after declining steadily since 1899, had at last in 1907–8 shown an upward tendency. The reaction had been short-lived. Although beer in 1907–8 continued to improve the total revenue from beer, wine, and spirits combined shows a decrease of £151,000.