[Debate on drunkenness and alcohol licensing in Liverpool.].

Date:
[1876?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Debate on drunkenness and alcohol licensing in Liverpool.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I am not satisfied that that Bill is calculated to diminish intemperance. It may be that the Bill might, in isolated cases stop the retail trade of the publicans. It might, in isolated cases, stop the wholesale trade of the manufacturer, or the importer of wines or brandies; but, I would ask, would it prevent those who desired to procure these drinks from bringing them to their homes, where their families would become familiarised to their use; where the young child would, perhaps, have the dregs of the bottle, when the elders were done, and thus help to spread the very evil sought to be remedied, and increase the misery intended to be averted (hear, hear, and applause). For my own part, I do noffflelieve that Sir Wilfrid Lawson’s Bill would counteract such evils as I have adverted to. However, I myself as well as many other members of the Council would be sorry to seem to occupy the position of discouraging even an ill-advised effort to check intemperance, by voting against Mr. Sullivan’s resolutions (hear, hear). I would rather suggest that the members of the Council should declare their anxious wrish to advance the cause of temperance, and to mitigate the evils of in¬ temperance in every form—evils which certainly are the greatest that can afflict the people of any country (hear, hear). What are the statistics, with regard to those evils? We are told that in consequence of the great destruction of grain caused by the manufacture of beer and spirits, we have to import every year from £20,010,000 to £30,000,000 worth of food, and that during the past year nearly £100,000,000 were spent in the United Kingdom in the purchase of intoxicating liquors (hear, hear). What we get in exchange for an expenditure of £100,000,000 wasted in the liquor traffic may be summed up in this way :—there are nearly a million and a half of paupers in the United Kingdom, or one in twenty of the population, nine-tenths of this pauperism being caused by drink ; we have 600,000 drunkards, each one a source of sorrow and annoyance both to his family and his neighbours. It is estimated that there are not less than 600,000 human beings slain through drink every year; it is stated that there are 43,0C0 lunatics in our asylums, that 25,000 inquests take place annually, in both cases mainly attributable to the use of strong drinks; 140.000 criminals, nearly all the fruit of the liquor traffic ; gambling, prostitution, families neglected and cruelly treated, domestic squabbles, rows and brawls in our streets, and scandal and disorder that are appalling. I am aware that nine-tenths of the lunacy in these kingdoms is caused by drunkenness, and in saying that, let no one confound idiotcy with lunacy. Now if we cannot all approve of the provisions of the Bill which is now before us, we may at all events be unanimous in expressing our opinion, as the Municipal Council of Dublin, against intemperance, and our anxious wish that steps should be taken by the Legislature to secure the best means for putting it down (hear, hear). I am aware that if we proceed to a division, Mr. Sullivan’s motion will be defeated, and then a cry will be raised that the Corporation of Dublin has declared against legislation in favour of temperance (hear, hear). Mr. Meagher.—May I ask you, Sir John, were those English or Irish statistics which you read ? Sir John Ghat.—I stated that they applied to the United Kingdom. D