ALCOHOLIC CORDIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 6919, 4 June 1885, Page 2

ALCOHOLIC CORDIALS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lt appears to me that William K. Craig, by his erroneous and ignorant assertions, is trying to pose as the supreme judge of moral rectitude, and as the champion of social purity, in accusing the various cordial manufacturers of Dunedin of producing intoxicating cordiak, adulterated with alum and bluestone.

As there are only four cordial manufacturers in Dunedin, viz,, Lane and Co., Thomson and Co., Esther and Low, and your humble subscriber, I for one challenge W. R. Craig to deposit L2O cash into your hands, and that you will select a sample from my stock, or from any customers of mine, of raspberry vinegar, peppermint, lime juice, cloves, pineapple drops, for the purpose of being analysed by Professor Black, the Government analyst and professor' of chemistry, and if the learned professor finds even one gallon in the proportion of 1,000 gallons of the above-enumerated cordials, and also the presence of alum or bluestone, I will forfeit the aforesaid L2O, But if the cordials are fonnd to be free from the said poisonous compounds, and the proportion of alcohol under one gallon per 1,000, William R, Craig shall forfeit his L2O for the benefit of the Benevolent Institution.

In conclusion, I would advise W. R. Craig to take a few lessons in arithmetic, as regards weights and measures, when he will convince himself that six bottles of a liquid are contained in a gallon measure, and not twelve bottles, as he asserts.—l am, etc., J. D. Feraud.

Dunedin, June 4,

TO THE EDITOR,

Sir, —As Mr Craig still insists on airing his knowledge, permit me as a cordial manufacturer to pass a few remarks on his letter in your last evening's issue. One of his fallacious assertions is that bluestone enters largely into the manufacture of all cordials. This I indignantly deny, and can give ample proof to Mr Craig by referring him to Professor Black's last analysis of cordials from our firm, which states that " they were carefully examined and found to contain no impurities, nor an y ingredient likely to be injurious to health." To prove the genuineness of my remarks this firm are willing to enter into a contract to manufacture by the quarter-cask four standard cordials at one-quarter the price whicr Mr Craig quotes—viz., 24s per gallon, and guaranteed free from spirits or adulteration. Here I would call the attention of Mr Craig to the fact that twelve bottles contain two gallons not one as he has stated.

In reference to his remarks that the matter be placed in the hands of the police, I might state within the last few years the police have called and taken several samples of the various cordials manufactured by us, which no doubt were duly analysed by the porper authorities. —I am, eto., W. E. Laste, jpn.