INEBRIATE HOMES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11884, 6 May 1899, Page 9

INEBRIATE HOMES.

TO THE EDITOR. . Sir, —Mrs Cunnington, with, her usual ability and hummanitv, draws attention, to one of the fearful results of the drink traffic existing amongst us, and asks, “ Can nothing' be done?” Yes; when the Christian conscience of this community is roused to root out the cause of these “strange, ugly blots” the blots will cease to appear, and so long’ a s Christian men and women take upon themselves the awful responsibility of commissioning a number of people to deal out that drink which destroys both soul and body, just so long we must endure the horror and,.

shame of seeing these wrecks of humanity in our streets. lam as anxious as Mrs Ounnington can be that the State should Like steps to care for those inebriates, male and female, who are not able now, perha.ps never will be, to control their appetite or . take care of themselves; . but I maintain that shutting up these poor unfortunates is not : removing the cause of the trouble and it • is as wise to build typhoid hospitals and keep bad drainage going to fill them as reestablish inebriate homes and keep the liquor traffic in existence ; for you cannot have the traffics without its annual crop of drunkards, and you cannot license a man; to sell drink without at the same time licensing him to make men drunk. By all means let something be done for those n/ow ruined, but in God’s name let us take steps to prevent, in future the similar ruin of many more.—l am, etc., COMMON-SENSE. April 26,1899.