DRUNKENNESS.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1377, 9 July 1874, Page 3

DRUNKENNESS.

(f o the Editor pf .tha^pj^^^j^S'^ Sib,—On reading in your paper this- eretf-o ing *1 the - Judge's charge" to the Grand. Jury t J Q^se'rVa jthat he comments strongly on the influence of drink as one of the principal causes of the great-increase of crime. The recent'case of manslaughter in a brothe^. ■where wmm wassibru.eSEyr'stamp'ed'tb' deathV was evidently owing to drink r and it is painful to* think -how omanyceases of-a/ similar nature^are Qp^taTdt^'bccamng in; thii^nd: other* fl *i^^^^t®:^Wm.nnisi^s ( 3resulfcing.: from excess^inndrinkingi-i /Hisj Honor 1 oeeds to say tha€«" it "WiA* Worthy' the'eon-/, sideratioiiOofr th^legislattire- whether' some means of stopping this could not be provided." True: -Mfi-^s "yet' legislatibh has failedo*o« dheok^th^ evifrto any extent:; 1:/Als long W !fth'er<?""' 'o?''' lie'efised'.; houses', rfthere, yill "-louM ti&afi£wrbQ> jdobiwft-'.botho mind and body • i by-4.the>. j abi|sefji;o^liquor. Under a Constitution iikeLQur^youoannptfor*hr^^m to drink; if he-«ets(drnntoheisliable' ..,' jg^^amprisaament^. bnfctmf6rtoatelyV *«>^—l^iihese means'is sufficiently deterrent, \ CTCfcords of thfrtßoUne GonttSLwill show, w<P ofondeMifitt-ithis. jespept ,*re« brougHtiup^jlfesi& Tastier .^aaeiici Eduiatidn Jand : thfe. deal tS rbof o^r'th^'eyil. wtrotal.iabatinencei societies also jdonggoj, i&jfeher^way, but^wen they can never nope to surmou.nfcihis,ngreat i evil, for^S iflag asithißiWbrld' igSpeopWd^ith^ human beings dririkl of's6me'kind 6? another is the^ne^gsafy^eSiilti^The^'Sufde !%]ss " grape has - beeA,ikns.e r fromjtiweimniemprwl,\ and in the OT? Testament we' finfUtf-^edovd. oases o«hTltbm^~ot'itr"FeFmerited liquors^ are m mKouluxgrtbfr'&i* coiatitutipii* pf; the; mißd anlbody-aft'er a bar 4 day's wcrkj'be-i*-

physical or mental—a glass of good sound wine ;orbeerwillactasagentiestimulantand freshen j ja man up for the'coming morrow's wo'rkr ;T4ie'evil might be checked^by judicious* legis'latiqn,.and I feel strongly eoriyincecl thata: ; great "dealbf goodmight be done' by tho appointment of an Inspector of Public-houses, I who should be a properly qualified man, able •to analyse any liquor placed before him ; for it is-;nofr;so much the quantity asjbhe quali|y^ of tKe liquor consumed that causes druukeij-/; jness. Ido not intend to assert that all pub- j ;licans adulterate their "liquors; but there are ?some who are base enough to do anything for money;* and it' is to thepe that = the -'attention i' ;of the authorities should be directed ; and the Licensed'v'iotuallers''Association should, | in their own interests, do all in their power :to expose such nefarious practises. . Cases frequently occur where handsful of tobacco leaves have/heen extracted from casks containing rum, the effects of which are hurtful : in the highest;degree. ? Of course it is an ; Accepted fact that publicans dilute their j grog previous to! selling iti' -' If only water , were,used the, result would be harmles^^ per-^ haps'beneficial. But to-,suit the vitiated palates of their customers they have to bring the strength up again, plain.spirit being some- . times used for this purpose; but very frequently j far more injurious, substances are used, the • uneducated public being apparently satisfied j as long as the stuff stings the palate j in fact the hotter it is the tetter'they like*it. All : drinkers should remember that.mellowness, | and not ipirituousness,' is the criterion of ; good spirit. Adulteration of food is a crime which should be visited with the,severest, punishment the law- can inflict, for I think.: that man who makes his living by selling articles of food which he knows are adulterated with poisonous ingredients -guilty of a crime far worse than the man who in a sudden : access pf finger kills his fellow-being.., Jty is, j in fact/a'kihd'of murder, and as such cannot j be too strongly dealt with. Any one found selling liquor, adnlter.ated t with no?fiqu3 jn-^ gredienta should.he heavily fined ii* the firfit ; instance;oandhavejhis license cancelled fora i period, and on again offending should bo im- | prisoned for a term, and never again be • permitted to hold a license for the sale of ■. liquors. I have been induced to say more than I I intended on this subject because it is, one that needs f both discussion' and reformation. Having so far trespassed on your space in offering the above suggestions I will conclude by givinga list .of ingredients (mostly | virulent poisoii&) which, are-used in the adulteration of liquor, so that people may know what they are liable-to- drink. Beer is adulterated with water, cqculus indicus, henbaney I 'opium, .nux irpmicaj. and Bohemian j rosemary, which are: used to.give it, a sharp, and bitter flavour. Bohemian rosemary is a deadly poison, a small twig producing raving intoxication. Aloes, gentian, quassia, and wormwood are also' used^tqTgive % bltter-t flavburi Ginger, cassia buds, and capsicum plroduce pungency. • TreSclei; tobacco juice, and hutnfe su^arr giv&. iti3ar'coldurV -'Oil df ...vitriol it transparent, and l imparts a taste, of;'.agej|; and,.. n . lastly, copperas Jeanfd Of tartar will raise •*•»_ splendid^ .head *'\ju> ; this f pure malt ■ liquor. JGin'is adulterated with .oil of turjientine, sulphuric "ether; and Vitriol.-' Oil of almorifla'-is used to conceal the1 taste' of the lasfc^iFine Jamaica-rant ia "improved" ! by the :of! cherry■J;water-: and ."devil;■ wbich;'c6nssst£i of capsicrim infused in, vitriol. Tobacco is•;:al8o!o:'of;.use here*:;• Brandy is mixed with acqua> ammonia^ saffron, mace, extract of almrads, cherry laurel water, devil, ferra japbnica.-and: spirit of nitre. Port wine containing no grape is made of-spirits) -of wine,, k cy,der,- «ugar,- r«lum,j tartarici acid, and logwood. Sherryj when ; muddy and sick, is treated with sal mixium, slaked lijme, and litharge to give it a sweet taste. Of course there are various other imprpvers, which want of spao&T*event! me from enumerating. Trusting-thi abbye-list will intereat the votaries Bacchus, —I am, etc., 'CITIZEN. .. ■'' - \ -