THE HABITUAL INEBRIATE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 430, 20 October 1898, Page 18

THE HABITUAL INEBRIATE.

Looking round the world we note that the idea that the habitual drunkard is a poor unfortunate devil, and one worthy .of a little more attention in the future than he has received in the past is gaining ground. Here in New, Zealand the gentle art of prohibition is practised. The habitual inebriate is served with a bit of blue paper and appears before the magistrate. Then the publicans in the neighbourhood are served with bits of blue paper containing warnings not to serve John Jones with liquor, or be propared for the direct consequences. This preventive measure may be all very well for the prohibited person —if he is known, but the mere fact that a license-holder is supposed to know John Jones because he is served with a notice that the latter is a prohibited person is far from being the most perfect sytem of preventing an habitual drunkard from obtaining liquor. Tf the drink-cursed individual wore a little chain and medal round his neck, or if he could be known by a strawberry mark upon his shoulder, or some other design to be thought out by the teetotallers, then the publicans might have some chance of distinguishing the “ dead ” from the “ quick.” If the measures adopted here are not of the best kind it is satisfactory to observe that in Victoria and in N.S.Wales steps are being taken to improve the lot of the habitual drunkard to a very great extent. In England “ The Habitual Inebriates’ Bill,” which was being discussed in the Houses of Parliament when our files were despatched, is a fair measure, and shows that the backers of the Bill have recognised that the danger arises from the patient himself, and not from external causes, usually attributed to the Trade. In order to remedy this sad state of things, it has been considered advisable to devise some form of restraint to prevent the unfortunate dipsomaniac from purchasing supplies, which if ouly rightly used by him would be beneficial instead of detrimental, and this is what the English Act proposes to do. This fact we regard of the utmost importance, for it is at least an acknowledgement that all the fault of a man getting drunk does not lie with the members of the Trade. The Bill is not a very long one, and proposes that where a person is convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment of penal servitude, perpetrated while under the influence of liquor, the Court may-order him to be detained in a reformatory for inebriates for a term not exceeding three years, this sentence to be in addition to any other term of imprisonment the Court may impose upon the delinquent. There is anothex’ section which provides that any person who has been found guilty of certain offences, and who has three times within twelve months been convicted of any of these offences, and who is an habitual drunkard, shall be liable to be detained for three years in an inebriate reformatory. The offences referred to in the above section are .twenty in number, and consist of being found drunk and disorderly, being drunk whilst in charge of any horse, carriage, cattle, steam engine, or in possession of loaded firearms, refusing to quit licensed premises, being drunk and attempting to enter passenger steamers, being drunk on a steamer and refusing to leave when required to do so. These offences are certainly those that should be put a stop to, and the English Parliainent deserves a great deal of credit for

making an effort to save the unfortunates who are incapable of an effort to help themselves. The last offence quoted, “ being drunk on a steamer and refusing to leave when required to do so,” we can quite imagine would lead to. a little difficulty, and we think it will be altered ere finally becoming law. It would never do in New Zealand. Fancy the skipper of a vessel coming up to a fellow who had taken too much, as his boat was crossing the Manakau bar, and fiercely requesting him to leave. Such a command at such a time would no doubt have a sobering effect indeed. The new Bill, when law, if it is carefully and conscientiously administered, will prove of benefit to the community, but if the rules and regulations are carried out with any laxity then an enormous amount of power will be put into the hands of unscrupulous persons, and open the door to extortion, perjury, and other attendant evils, which, if not carefully guarded against, may make the remedy almost as bad as the disease. In any event, there are several clauses in the Act worthy of the attention of New Zealand legislators.