WHAT FREETRADE IN DRINK DOES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3158, 17 May 1883, Page 3

WHAT FREETRADE IN DRINK DOES.

Some startling statistics are given as to the result of freetrade in liquor in Switzerland. The population of that country two years ago, when the last enumeration was made, was 2,846,102. The* 1 Pall Mall Budget” says Since 1874, when freetrade in drink was substituted for the old system, under which each canton regulated the drink traffic for itself, the number of publichouses has increased 22 per cent. This is pretty well in eight years, especially as ' the population has during the same time increased only six per cent. There is now throughout Switzerland one public-house for every 130 inhabitants, and in Geneva one for every 70. In one part of the country, where the statistics of crime have been - closely investigated with reference to this question, about half the total number of crimes have been found to take their origin in drunkenness. An almost greater evil is the waste of money oven on the part of those who stop short of crime, ef which some curious instances are gathered from the books of public houses examined by Siegfred. One man earned 23fr 60c in a week, and spent 20fr 5c in the public-house ; a second earned 29fr and spent 22fr; a third earned 28fr and spent 18fr. The innkeeper in this case was also a contractor, who in the latter capacity employed these excellent customers, and one week, when the men had worked less and drank more than usual, the innkeeper contractor bad no money at all to pay, and everyone of the men began the following week with a balance against him.”