THE TREATMENT OF INEBRIATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 89

THE TREATMENT OF INEBRIATES.

SALVATION ABMY SCHEME. > (FXOM OU» OWH CORBKSPOKDEKT.) AUCKLAND, December 4. When the Salvation Army undertook the work of reforming the drunkard, and chose Pakatoa, one of the prettiest islands in the Hauraki Gulf, as a home for treating inebriates, it was not for one moment/ anticipated that in less than 12 months the island would be too small to accommodate the number requiring attention. Yefe such has been the case, and the Salvation Army officials have within ,the last fewt , weeks completed the purchase of whati has long been a favourite holiday resort, R-uthe's Island. Ruthe's Island adjoin* Pakatoa, and it is now purposed to carrjfl on the work on these two islands. Newt and up-to-date buildings are to be erected) at Ruthe's Island, and provision will be>| made for at least 100 men. In connection] with the new developments, Staff Captain*] Arnott, of Melbourne, is at present irfi Auckland. The Captain is a moving •epirhJ' in most of the big social organisational which the Army has inaugurated, and hef. is actively* assisting in perfecting th^j 'arrangements under which the extension o3> the new system will 'be worked. Captainf Arnott, when interviewed, said that iuii would, of course, be impossible to say for^ some years to come what the actual outrj come of the efforts to cope with this greaur problem would be in Auckland, and thai, whole world was watching with interest? the progress of the scheme by which ther Government had legislated to place inebriates in the care of the Salvation Army..' Auckland is the only place where the island treatment is being followed, and! while it is yet too early to say anything definite of the results, the officer in ques- j tion sb convinced that the present system/ is the only sound snd' practical one which/ society has yet put forward to cope with( one of the greatest problems the world has to face.

In a case before the Manx Higih Court', in. which a man sued by a grocer claimed that he was not liable as the goods obtained by his -wife were not necessaries, the) judge, ruled that legally beer and stoxife were necessaries, but morally they were l not, and gave judgment for the full amount.