THE DRINK BILL

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144082, 29 April 1913, Page 3

THE DRINK BILL

IN NEW SOOTH WALES. A STARTLING INCREASE. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (Received April 29, 10.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, April 29. At the annual meeting of the New South Wales Alliance reference was made to tho statement prepared by Archdeacon Boyce covering the drink bill for 1912. It shows that thq total expenditure was £7,096,624, an increase of £694,917, compared with the previous year, making the increase for two years £1,371,640. The expenditure per head of population was £4 0s 6d, an increase of 3s Bd, miking the increase in the past two years 10s per head. While anticipating an increase owing to the prosperous times, Archdeacon Boyce says ho was unprepared for so notable an increase as the figures reveal, and for which he frankly admits he does not think prosperity sufficiently accounts. The increase is most marked in colonial beer, the consumption of which has advanced 4,507,757 gallohs in two years.

The convictions for drunkenness last year were 82,977, including 3232 women. This is an increase of 5597 in two years without a corresponding increase of population. He considers the increase of intemperance, apart from the commercial prosperity, is attributable to three causes, the weakening of the moral fibre of the people generally and a consequent loss of self-restraint, neglect ef the churches .apd other bodies to foster temperance societies, and the shortening of the hours of labour while the hotels have been allowed to remain open.