ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1396, 10 January 1860, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

INTEMPERANCE

(To the Editor of the Wellington .Independent.) Sin,— lt is veiy common to consider the people of Scotland, as' the nation .above all others strict in its idea as to the elevated nature of the duties, which are required of mankind by our holy religion. It is true that the Scotch in their faith are evangelical ; in the external observance of the sacred ceremonies are exact; seveie in judgment on those who may be negligent in attending to the public worship .of God, and the most rigid in maintaining the sanctity of the s «.bhath. Yet, notwithstanding alt this we feir that there must be a great amount of coi'iUption and immorality beneath this surface of piety. We arrive, at this conclusion thus : — It is admitted on all hands that the habitual drinking of ardent spirits has a demoralising influence, and it is shown by statistics that in Scotland more spirits are consumed in proportion to population than in either England or Ireland. The Economist of the 3rd September last, published the following statistics.

Spirits consumed from January Ist, to June 30tli :—

Now, if in round numbers we put the population of England at 21 millions ; Scotland at 3£ millions, and Ireland at 9 millions, we then-find that for every hu.nan being there was consumed of ardent spirits, in the first half of the year 1859, „ In England, rather less than 1 quart. " Scotland, " more 4 " " Ireland, " " l£ "

I That is to say for even/ quaff, of spirits ..drunk j in England, in proportion, to population, ''ii'.'galx.,. Un was driiiik in Scotland. A worse feature than this tilso presents itself in this table, viz.,: that while tie consumption of spirits is decreasing id England; in Scotland it is increasing, at the rate of 300,000 q-allons per annum. "' " Now, if we consider that Scotland is comparatively le-i.s w&iTthy than England,— that it is a nation the religious professions of which aie considerable, and moreover that the Scotch are, an economic people, these things would indicate that this vice of intemperance must have a very strong hold, seeing that it is progressing in . spite of the religious, moral, and economic views of. the people. It is to be feared that if : such a course is persevered in, 'sooner or later it will show its effects in the utter demoralization .of Scottish society.."'•'. ' '. "'•'. ''I ;..■ We should be sorry if our countrymen iif ' coming to this side of the world shouid be found .. to have brought tbair dram ''drinking habits with . ". them. TJfie statistvcs "of" New Zealand already - ' show Otagn to he the 1 ttavinbfffyherethe great- . ost proportion of spiriW are cbnVumed. In view ' of this subject let us rlftiember that no commii- 1 ' nity can be entitled to be styled moral which is largely addicted to intemperance. Welijq mtfst earnestly hope'^that "ojij* "Sbo'toh'brethreiij.in ',V\ commencing life 'in a^new country wilt "aTso ' "turn over a new lenf'Wn this pailtcular, ami 1 v set an example ti the" old folks ;».t. home " by abandoning a habit which is no honour to any people. ;-~ ;r:f? '-./ • - ■ '^^An^i-Tektotal^rV.

1857. 1858. 1859. Gallons. Gallons, Gallons. England, 4,960,984 ... 4,908,557 ... 4,890,601 Scotland 3,316,413 ... 3,713,192 .'.«, '3,9.32,993 Ireland 3,465,131 ...3,593,144..'. 3,204,675