NEW PLAN WITH DRUNKARDS

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 691, 30 July 1870, Page 3

NEW PLAN WITH DRUNKARDS

We take the following from the Melbourne Herald :— "Photograph him, and take him away," it is suggested should be thesentence pronounced by the Magis trates on all inebriates who may be brought before them. This hint has been thrown out by a correspondent of a London journal, and the plan advocated is that every drunkard should be photographed, and then a copy of his portrait be forwarded to every publican in the city, with a notification that should drink be supplied to the individual photoed, the publicans will have to pay the penalty for so doing. The publicans would, in course of time, supposing the hint were taken, have a beautiful set of portraits to adorn their bars—in fact, they might, in course of time, paper their walls with likenesses of lovers of strong drink. The suggestion though we fear, however striking, is not likely to be adopted, though, we have no doubt, that the operation of being photographed would prove in some cases a stronger deterrent from getting drunk than the fine of five shillings and costs. What would the magistrates do with the man whoso photographic cartes were in every public-house already? Would they re-photo him, and send him round a second time ? They might give orders that any one found drunk a second time should be photographed the second time in his drunken state, and order that this picture should form a companion to the first. Beyond this stage we know not what could be done in the way of ornamenting the hotels, and holding up to public gaze the man incapable of keeping sober. There is one objection to this scheme of punishing the drunkard and it is this What is there to hinder some wicked spirit of mischief from getting copies of the portraits multiplied of some of the most virtuous of our citizens, and sending such round for exhibition in the various bars ? We might find some day, that such an ardent temperance man as even the Hon. W. M. K. Vale, or Mr Burtt, or even Matthew Burnett might find themselves held up as shocking examples to every dramdrinker in Melbourne. We believe that one of the American States has a plan of taking the likeness of every man who is charged with drunkenness, while he is in a state of intoxication, and these are exhibited in public, so that publicans might be warned against selling drink to the original of the portrait, and the transgressor be shamed out of his drunkenness. Melbourne would supply a most varied selection of portraits, and perhaps if a drunkards' portrait gallery were formed, and every one brought up at the police court, convicted of being drunk, were taken, and then sent to form part of the collection of portraits, it might, at least, lessen the beastly sights that are often to be seen in the streets of this city.