Chronic Drunkards.

White Ribbon, Volume 8, Issue 96, 1 May 1903, Page 7

Chronic Drunkards.

Mr H. G. Ell, M.H.R., is nothing if not pertinacious, and we are therefore exceedingly glad to note that he has taken up the cause of the chronic drunkard of the depraved class. There is strong hope that the matter will not be allowed to drop until some provision lias been made for those poor creatures who spend their time between the gaol and the police court. Mr Seddon’s reply to Mr Ell is decidedly non-com-mittal. Does he expect Prohibition to be generally carried at the next Licensing Poll, or does he simply mention the probab. result of the reform so as to avoid the necessity for a direct yea or nay to the demand to have the pro-

visions of the Inebriate Homes Act, passed in 1898, carried into effect ? The marvel is that the utter absurdity of the pr-sent movie of procedure, simply from an economic point of view, has not penetrated the brain of the taxpayer who is charged with the support of these drunkards and the whole paraphernalia of police and warders and courts and gaols. If the general public would only look into the matter, and then make its voice heard, we venture to think it would not be long before these unhappy creatures were safely housed from temptation and placed in a position where they would be largely self-supporting.