ALCOHOL IN ACCOUNT WITH POLICE, ETC. TO THE EDITOR.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4401, 22 September 1871, Page 3

ALCOHOL IN ACCOUNT WITH POLICE, ETC. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—*' Temperance " in your issue of Saturday had not apprehended my Dr. *nd Cr. statement of the liquor traffic. If he looks over the statement again he will discover that it is liquor traffic in account with the Government of the colony, both General and Provincial, and shows that after deducting from the revenue derived from alcoholic liquors the whole of the expenditure for Courts, police, gaols, hospitals, &c.,4c , there remains a balance in round figures of a quarter of a million sterling. The value of the liquors, not belonging to this account, was neither in* traduced nor "purposely otcitted." The statement explodes thoroughly the fallacy that the liquor traffic is a tax on the revenue of the colouy, and proves that it furnishea » large and unencumbered revenue, I admit it was unfair to cha/ge tbe whole costs of police, gaols, &c, against the traffic, as the necessity for these ia traceable to many otbor causes than liquor, hut this unavoidable unfairness only strengthens the result aimed at. The rest of the letter of " Temperance " does not bear on the point in haud. If be writes again I hope he will not descend to personalities. It is a dirty habit, should be avoided, makes discussion unpleasant, and obstructs tho elucidation of truth,— 1 am, &c.» ■^■•^