TEMPERANCE IN THE EAST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1694, 25 October 1887, Page 3

TEMPERANCE IN THE EAST

It may be doubted whether there exists any other large population on the face of the earth which can oompare with that of India m temperance. The official correspondence on the Abkarl system gives «ome remarks 88 remarkable as gratifying It li estimated m a Viceregal despatch that the average consumption of spirits does not average mote than from a bottle to a bottle and a half per adolt male. There are some district!, however, where the average !• very muoh leu. In the North-west Provinces the average is no more than a pint, while m the PoDJanb it falls to one quarter of that quantity It la to be remembered, too, that the vast majority of natives drink neither wine nor beer; the above statistics therefore represent their total consumption of stimulants. Nor can it be urged that this extreme abstemiousness is solely due to poverty,' Daring recent years, the economic condition of th 6 Indian masses has enormously improved, but there has not been any corresponding augmentation of drinking habits. It is true that the revenue derived from the sale of intoxicants has Increased considerably during the last fifteen years, but this seems to be due to other causes than larger congumption. The suppression of smuggling and of illicit distillation has of oourse produced a great enhancement of revenue, while the population is now several millions more than at the former date. Truly, England has little ocoaaion to preach temperance to her dependency; bsfwery shares would soon fall to a heavy dIiQOQDt were the Briton to become as