The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1887. THE MONTH'S BLACK LIST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1727, 29 December 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1887. THE MONTH'S BLACK LIST.

The present month, now rapidly drawing to a close has, been extremely prolific of crime. Suicides, murders and outrages have been recorded m most of the papers we have taken up, and we regret to say that m a great majority of instances these are traceable ■O the effect of drink. These can bz no question that the various Temperance Societies have effected a vast amount of good, but it would seem as [if they had still a very large field of operation before them. We cannot help thinking that the Government could render them great assistance m their praiseworthy efforts, it it were so minded. There is no disguising the fact that m many places m the colony, the vilest poison is retailed under the names of brandy, rum, gin and whiskey. There is a fearful amount of i licit distillation carried on. A spirit is distilled from unmalted grain and, by the addition of various flavouring chemicals and colouring matters, is made to resemble the spirits of commerce we have named. These have a most injurious effect upon the brain, and a very small qualtity of them, compared with that of the genuine article requisite to produce the same effect, is sufficient to produce temporary, if not permanent insanity. It is also strongly suspected m well-informed quarters that a very large quantity of spurious spirits are imported and honestly retailed as genuine. Now, if the Government were to appoint analysts at the chief ports, whose duty should be to sample and analyse each consignment, rejecting the spurious article, a vast amount of good would accrue. Some few years ago such officers were oppointed by the French Government, and their duties involved the analysing of wines and spirits exported from their : country. The report of these officers disclosed a fright ul and almost in* credible state of things. The unaditfteraed and that non injuriously adulterated bore a fearfully insignificant proportion to that deleterjously adulterated, and iheie is every reason to believe that a good portion of the Jatter exported before the appointment of these analysts and warehoused m Great Britian, has found its way to the colonies. The Government analysts might with advantage also subject samples of spirits obtained from public houses to their tests. The Government we have been given to understand by medical men, would certainly recoup e#psnses of the analyst's salaries by the great decrease m the number of lunatics and criminals that would ensue.

" Bodoh on Itch." — ♦ Bough pa Itoh ' cures skin humors, eruptions, ring worm, tetter, salt rheum, frosted feet, cbjttbUing, jtob, ivj poiioo fr&rbor'p itob» 6