Polynesian., 1850-11-02

hunters division of game with his India
comPanion-al turkey on one side and al
buzzard on the other
DRINKING.-Under the above head mos
able article has recently appeared in ''Eliz
Cooke IS Journal, :" we'll known as one Of tn
most able and extensively circulated of ou
popular periodicals. 1t is highly gratifying
that in the pages Of such publication, SOM
of the most striking views ofthe. importance
Of the temperance reformation should b'
brought under the notice of the public.
We would gladly insert the whole did ou
space permit, but can only find room for th,
following portion. After describing in vivit
terms the extent TO which as nation we ar.
over-run with drinking usages, the writer
proceeds
"Englishmen are generally quick at count
ing the cost of things; and a word may be
said on this head. A little "BIack Book >
was recently published showing the cost o.
the Government at something like sixty mil.
lions year-truly a formidable sum-the
details Of which have excited no small amount
of indignation. But what will the people say
when they are told, as we now tell them,
that not less than forty millions a-year are
tvoluntarily spent by them upon drinki We
do not defend the former excessive expendi-
ture, Tor can we say any thing in defence ol
the latter. But we must remember that for
the expenditure on the purposes Of Govern
ment, we have at least an admirable Post
Office. an army and navy, courts of law, di-
plomatic and consular establishments, peni-
tentaries, Queen, lords and commons, and
great deal more. And what have we in
return for the other expenditure! Only a
prodigious quantity Of poison, producing pow
erty decentralization and crime A searching
very urgently called for; but we think it will
be admitted that there is even a still more
imperative necessity for an equally searching
reform in our personal aud social expend-
ture in respect Of drink.
sFrom the year 1901 to 1916, the people of
the United Kingdom spent nearly fifteen hum
dred millions OF pounds sterling in intoxicating
drinks; about ESOO 900 900 on spirits, fI76,
444 900 on wines, and f595, ,9O4 900 on
malt; or about equal to double the amount
of the present National Debt !! The Duty
alone which was paid on the above articles
during these forty-6ve years amounted to
f644 .968, $50, or equivalent to about five
sixths Of the National debt.
ssOur army costs US about ten millions
year, which we think a great deal too much;
but then we voluntarily spend about fifteen
millions year on whiskey, gin, brandy, and
their villainous compounds I! Our navy costs
about eight millions; but our beer. ale. and
porter cost from thirteen to fourteen milions!
We pay lessthan million for our admirable
Post Office, and more than four millions for
wines The taxes we pay for our courts of
law and Justice amountto a. little above a
million; the taxes we pay on tobacco and
snuff are above four millions Financial re-
form is surely needed, but al. home and in
The public house as much as any where else.
Under two millions a year are spent on
health and Life Assurance; and about forty
millions on drink of all kinds Are not these
facts most discreditable to US as a nation!
ss II is not, however, merely because of
he money which is worse than wasted on all
his drink, that these facts are to be lament
ed; but because Of the many broken hearts,
ruined characters, blasted homes, diseased
rames, crowded prisons. vice, infamy, and
moral ruin which have everywhere followed
n the track Of drink. The money considera-
ion is the very least, though that is not to
,e overlooked; for the money saved from
rink might have made hundreds OF thou-
sands of families happy and independent; but
is the moral wreckage, the british degra-
lation, the ffightf1l social suffering, that has
,een produced by our drinking practices,
hat form the most prominent considerstions|
a our mipds