A BLACK RECORD.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12881, 30 April 1913, Page 7

A BLACK RECORD.

■ . ~,.-«»• —-*- . S.S.W. DRINK BILL. SHOWS INCJREASE OF £694,917. (United Press Ass<yi&ti>n.~CbpyTiKht.) SYDNEY. April 29. At the annual meeting or the Alliance reference was made to the statement prepared by Archdeacon Boyce covering the State's drink bill for 1912. It shows a total expenditure of £7,096.----624, an inoroaeo of £694,917 compared with $he previous one, and making un increase for two years of £1,871,640. The expenditure per head of population is £4 os. 6d., an increase of 3s. Bd., snaking an increase for the past two., years ©i 10s. per head. While anticipating an increase owing to the prosperous times, Archdeacon Boyce says he was not prepared for so cctabl.e an increase as the figures reveal, and for which he frankly admits he does not think tne prosperity sufficiently accounts. m The increase is most marked in colonial beer, tho consumption ad-' vancing by 4,507,707 gallons in two years. Tho convictions for drunkenness last year totalled 37,977, including 3232 -women. He considers the increase of intemperance, apart from the commercial prosperity, attributable to three causes, viz., the weakeaiig of the moral fibre of The people generally and consequent loss of self-res-traint, tile neglect of the ehtirche;; and other bodies to foster temperances sot ieties, and shortening of hours of labour while hotels are allowed ~u> re-, main open. . • The New South Wales Alliance's report points out that, while the increase in tho number of convictions for two years totals 5597, there has been no corresponding growth in population, it adds tliat it is very evident that intemperance has greatly increased.