F.—No. 5.

10

REPORT OE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES COMMITTEE.

in bond, and the imitations, with the genuine, are sold on the mart by sample. Buyers, even when every care is taken, may become owners of the spurious imitations. They must buy to suit their customers, amongst whom are the buyers and vendors of low-priced imitations themselves, also unconscious of, and equally indifferent as to, their origin, to which they add various substances to give flavour and w yarmth, qualities which drinkers appreciate. The consequence is increased thirst, which, if yielded to, excites the passions, ending in a heavy sleep, followed by a terrible feeling of lassitude and horror, which is partially removed by a "hair of the dog that bit them." Indulgence in the best of liquors, as in the best of meats, is followed by evil consequences. If the drinks aro made, and especially if drugged, that evil is terrible. Tho sale of the former cannot be prevented; the latter may, and it is the duty of every Government to interfere and prevent their sale. When Major Eichardson was Superintendent of this Province, I brought the subject under his notice, and further stated that liquors which had been refused by the Melbourne analyst admission into that port, were afterwards received and sold in this. I understood he took a personal interest in the subject, but his executive, or advisers, demurred to the cost of the appointment of an analyst; and, besides, such an appointment required the assent of the General Assembly. The Major w ras shortly after succeeded in office by Mr. Harris. I broached the matter to him, but whether verbally or in writing Ido not remember. He approved of such an appointment, but soon retired from office. The matter was then allowed to sleep, and was recalled to my mind by letters and discussions in the newspapers lately about doctored drinks. I think lam warranted in stating, if the means had been used to prevent their sale ten years ago, that the Province would have saved 25 per cent, on police dues, and 50 per cent, on our jails, lunatic asylums, hospitals, &c, while our streets and country would have shown a like percentage less of poor misguided men and women, the profit of whose labour is lost to themselves and the public. This misery and cost will increase until the Government appoint an analyst, with assistants, to inspect liquors imported and on sale. The drugs mixed in drink by a dealer or retailer for immediate consumption, are much more damning, but are easily detected, while tho wholesale business requires skill and time to analyze their compounds. There has been some talk of appointing officers of excise. They should be chemists, and be empowered to test as well as gauge, and search for and seize P.D. on owners' premises he has no use for in his lawful business. The excise laws at home 45 years ago did not allow certain traders to have on their premises certain P.D. under a penalty of £200. It will be profitable for the dealer, retailer, and brewer, and the public, to take such interest in this matter as will induce the Government to protect the honest trader and the public in full —if not in full, at least as much protection against the evil complained of as is enjoyed by the public in Melbourne. I have, &c, Port Chalmers, 20th June. Wm. Dalrtmple.