ALCOHOLOGY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 290, 2 May 1911, Page 6

ALCOHOLOGY.

"CATCH—MY—PAL." (Published by arrangement.) , In reviewing the various countries in relation to alcohol one is struck with the fact that Ireland lias not only been the great battle-ground of Home Rule, but one may say also of drink rule. Ireland has had perhaps the most severe experience of the evils resulting from a very full sale of strong drink and la consequent large consumption thereof with the necessary attendant drunkenness. Now, however, she is on the upgrade in this matter, for the evils of drunkenness and drink-caused crime are on the decrease. The Temperance Year Book for 1911 issued by the Irish Presbyterian Church contains much that is encouraging to advocates of total abstinence. In the first place we notice that there are 512 ministers and 1364 elders on the total abstainers' lists, [which of itself shows the position this I church takes. The great forward movement is the "Catch-my pal" movement, of which the Rev, R. J. Patterson is the originator. It arose in this wise: Mr. Patterson passed some men in the street of Armagh, one of whom proposed thai they should all take the pledge. Mr. Patterson , wishing to give the men time to think over the step they proposed taking, appointed a day and hour for them to meet him in his manse. They met and all signed the pledge, each promising as part of his vow to secure the adhesion of a friend or companion to the infant cause. At the end of a week twelve men appeared, and in a | short time they formed a society, "The I Armagh Protestant Total Abstinence j Union." The movement spread rapidly—- | every one was a missionary—into other parts of Ireland, from north to south I and also into the west. Up to the preI sent there are over 100,000 who have been brought into the temperance ranks by this movement. In Gilford, a town of about 2000 inhabitants, 713 persons have signed the pledge; and in some parts of the west they repo"t that 90 ' per cent, of the population, have done so. This is only what is being done in connection with the Irish Presbyterian Church; there is also much activity in other ways. In the day schools of Ulster temperance teaching is given in real earnest, and more than 1200 candidates appeared last year for examination in temperance principles. To encourage this work prizes are given to the successful candidates and also to the teachers who prepare them. In ! other ways, too, Ireland is moving away | from whisky. They have Sunday closing there except in five cities, and in those exempted cities the hours of closing have been made earlier, with the result j that in Dublin the decrease of drunkenness is 40 per cent., in Belfast 33 per ] cent., in Cork 38 per cent. In the re9t of Ireland the Saturday night closing I was also made earlier, with a reduction | of drunkenness on Saturdays and Sundays of 18 per cent. No doubt a certain I amount of abstinence was brought about by the increased price of whisky, con- ' sequent on the increased duty, but that I is not all by any means; the main cause I has been the steady growth of temper--1 ance sentiment. The statistics of drunkenness in Belfast are very remarkable. In 1891 there were 26 convictions per 1000 of the population, and since that time the city has grown from 255,922 | inhabitants to 391,167 in 1909, but the , convictions for drink have fallen from . 6652 to 2967; so that now there are only 7.6 per 1000 of the population.

FRUIT CAKES. PINEAPPLE CAKE.—Beat up six eggs well for five minute.?, tnen add six ounces of castor sugar, and whisk for twenty minutes, or till thick and frothy. Next add very lightly six ounces of sieved flour and three ounces of pineapple cut into shreds. Pour the mixture into a tin lined with greased paper, and bake in a quick oven for about half an hour. PRUXL CAKE.—One cup of sugar, one half-cup 01 butter, one and a-half cups of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, and four tablespoons of sour milk, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful of cloves, one-half teaspoonful of nutmeg. three eggs, reserving the wnite of one for frosting; one cup of cooked prunes cut up line. This cake is deliand will keep moist for weeks, even in hot weather. WALNUT CAKE. Required: Five ounces of flour, four ounces butter, four ounces sugar, four ounces grated walnut, grated ring of half a lemon, three eggs, one teaspoonful baking powder. Bake in a moderate oven. For icing: Half a pound of icing sugar, two tablespoonfuls of cold water. Put in a pan, and warm slightly. Stir in one ounce grated walnut, pour over the cake, and put a few pieces of walnut on the top before the icing sets. This makes a very nice cake. We recommend the Mikado Brand Tea as one of the most economical of family teas. The retail price is only Is Gd per lb, but it is worth a good deal more. It is very carefully blended, and brews a fine tawny liquor which pleases the i palate.