Temperance Items.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 69, 15 September 1894, Page 4

Temperance Items.

Justly alarmed at the ravages of J alcohol in the; kingdom, the Government of Belgium has just ordered the { display in all schoolrooms of a printed placard, giving the following information:—" Of 125,000 deaths, as many as 25,000, or one-fifth, are the result of alcoholism. Id a period during which the population has increased by 14 per cent. , the consumption of alcohol has been augmented by 37 per cent. , cases of madness by 45 per cent. , crimes by 74 per cent. , suicides by 80 per cent. r and beggars and vagrants by lu6* per cent." At a meeting recently held in Manchester, Dr Wood, in speaking of the proposal to erect an additional lunatic asylum, said that erection and maintenance of that institution year after year would probably cost tens of thousands, and most ot the lunacy which has thus to be provided for was_produced by strong drink. Dr Wood further said that 30 per cent, of the children attending our board schools are suffering from some malady that handicaps them in the race of life — maladies in many instances the result of drink. Dr Wood's speech has given great offence to some of the members' of the Federated Brewers' Association, who do not agree with the sad fact that 100.000 children out of a round total of 300.000 in the city are suffering from the drinking habits of parents.