DEBAUCHED CRAVINGS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 120, 18 May 1912, Page 2

DEBAUCHED CRAVINGS.

METHYLATED SPIRIT DRINKING.

EXPERIENCE IN WELLINGTON, j "There is no doubt that a good leal of methylated spirits is being drunk in Wellington," remarked a leading

chemist to a. Times reporter, in answer to an inquiry suggested by a message from Christen uirck, that the practice was on tlio increase. "It is quite a common thing for two or three men to come into my shop on Sund-uy evenings and ask for sixpenny-wortli of methylated spirits., I always ask them what they w? Nt it for, and t.'ie excuse may bo that they had been polishing furniture and want aomo more spirit to finish the job; or chat they want it to warm the baby's food. Generally, however, they &>"e not genuine, and I can tell from Ihe appearance and manner of these •allows whether they want the spirit l«ir bona fide purposes. Only recently a man bought a bottle of cheap lavender water one Sunday evening. I had no suspicion that he wanted it for :;ny illegitimate purpose, and- some time later his wife rang up and asked jl he had been buying the water. 1 told her "Yes," and she said her husband had drunk it.

"I have now given orders that no methylated spirit shall be sold frv>.oi the shop on Sundays, and I don't think any reputable chemist who s •alive to his responsibilities would s-il the spirit to anyone whose genuineness he suspected. In England t'.ie Methylated Spirit.-, Act prohibits as sale from 10 p.m. on Saturday till 8 a.m. on Monday, and I think it would be an excellent thing if we had the Sitme regulation here. There is nothing which drives a. man more quickly into delirium tremens. It is only on Sunday nights, when ti;e hotels are closed, that we receive these requests. At other times the trade is quite bon-.i. fide." Other chemists in th main thoroughfares stated thst they had experienced no unusual demand for methylated spirits; what business they die! ram genuine, and the practice of drinking it had not come under their notice llere. They pointed oivfc that grocers, ironmongers, 'and pointers also sold the spirit, though it. was doubtful whether, they did^ illegitimate business, owing to <£u<3h shops being closed on Sundays. It is only when iho> alcoholic craving cannot be satisfied at. hotels/ that resort is made to chemists. " .' -

Experience of tho police "woukl prove that if the practice is indulgarl in at Wellington it does: not lead \o such debauchees appearing before +ha court. Inspector Ellison recalled one instance of methylated, spirit dririving which happened over ;>, year *%<>. In that case a quantity of the stniz was pumped out of the man at He police .station. In two or three more recent cases of drunkenness the police have had suspicions that methylated spirits had been drunk, but proof v/as not forthcoming. '".;..

[The folipwing appeared in out, Town Edition last issue.]