THE DRUG HABIT.

NZ Truth, Issue 183, 19 December 1908, Page 7

THE DRUG HABIT.

A Demoralised Dame. When trouble, remorse or sorrow of any sort drives a woman to drink for consolation she takes the first fatal step on ttfie descent to degradation. But a thousand times 'more pitiable is the plight of one who turns to drugs Cor her nepenthe. For her there is no hope unless she be saved from herself m the very early stage of the demoralising, soul-destrbying' curse. > Alice Phair, a ruidd'e-aged widow of Dunedin, recently contracted the deadly chlorodyne habit, and it has already started her, on the downward road to ruin. She was brought before the Police Uourt the other day charged with' stealing a hrooch valued, at 15s from a boarder who lived at the same house. Accused pfteaded gdilty. She bad taken the brooch from the bedroom ol the owner and pawned it for 3s. ' ' Sub-Inspector Norwood stated that she was a widow and ber little girl was living with her until recently. Then the child was sent to the Middlemarsh Salvation Army Home, and now the woman seemed to be going wrong. She had contracted the habit of taking chlorodyne and was ■ . ON THE DOWNWARD URADJbI 'There had been other complaints about her concerning thelts, but no prosecutions, had been taken. The matron of the Salvation Army Hbme, who was, present, was prepared to admit her to the institution, and the woman was willing ( to 50. The woraanN had nothing of the hardened criminal m her appearance, and it was plain she was suffering the pangs of remorse, as she drooped despairingly m the dock. The Magistrate agreed that the Home was the best place for her, as it would give her a chance *tp throw off the dreadful drug habit. If she remained m . the H^ome fihree months she would not be called up for sentence. The widow left the dock with an expression of gratitude to his Worship.