A DEPRAVED TASTE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 275, 17 May 1912, Page 4

A DEPRAVED TASTE

; METHYLATED SPIRIT DRINKING ON THE INCREASE. Cnristchurch, Wednesday. In view of the disclosures regarding methylated spirit drinking at an inquest yesterday, a Press reporter made enquiries to-day as to the extent to which the practice prevails. Mr. W. 11. Bishop. S.M., said it was a subject on which he could not he dogmatic, but his experience convinced him that the habit was a growing one. Those who attended the Magistrate's Court would know that the custom of drinking methylated spirits was no longer an unusual one. A chemist, with a shop in the central position of the city, said that the demand had increased largely within the past five years. The evil, in his opinion, was so great that he had given orders to his assistants to supply methylated spirits to no one who had not a reasonable excuse for desiring to buy it.

Several police officers stated that there could be. no doubt that the habit was no longer a rare one, though its victims for the most part were prohibited persona or those unable for some other reason to obtain liquor. Mr. T. .T. Sutton, president of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, said that the question had begun to affect hotels, in that they were being credited with drunkenness which they had not caused. The way it affected them had been explained by the inspector employed by the trade organisation, who had said that much drinking of methylated spirits was going on.