728 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION LI. 
his money has gone, he has to go to work-again. He in- 
jures himself for a time, and renders himself and his family 
poor; and, so far, is a nuisance. Now, most of these men 
acquire the habit from a desire to relieve the monotony of 
existence. They eat, drink, labour, and sleep; and, from this 
routine, day after day, eek Ales week, there is only the 
relief that Sunday affords. What could be more miserable 
to a man of more than average intelligence than occupying 
a three or four-roomed cottage in a_ thickly-populated 
suburb? Men, gregarious in their habits, repair to the 
public-house for company’s sake, when the daily paper is 
read. There is nothing more to do but smoke and go to 
bed. The only change these men can find is in such diver- 
sions ag the religious conventicle affords. The majority 
drink, or, at all events, commence to drink, simply for want 
of congenial company, and because our system of occupying 
separate tenements precludes that social intercourse which is 
so beneficial to mankind. 
This is the principal cause of alcoholic intemperance 
amongst what we would call “the working people.” Of 
course, some are alcoholic from defective will-power, which 
generally commences from the habit, in colonial parlance, of 
‘shouting ”’ or “ treating,’ and the custom, once acquired, 
becomes very difficult to overcome. With these topers the 
case is hopeless. They have lost all respect for themselves, 
and, unless some powerful influences intervene, which occurs 
as much accidentally as any other way, such as religious 
conversion, or a marriage, with its responsibilities, their 
future is lost. They sink lower and lower, until they meet 
their end in some public institution. To my mind, it is 
not by Act of Parliament, and further harassing the vendors 
of alcoholic liquors, that any improvement in the drinking 
habits of the people can be expected. I do not wish to 
imply that the traffic should be unrestricted—that would be 
illogical—but I do urge that amendment is much more 
likely to take place in affording the working classes better 
resources in the way of evening amusement. 
Living in single houses, clustered round their factories 
or places of occupation, no doubt, has its advantages, and, in 
many cases, may be absolutely necessary ; where it could be 
done, however, I would certainly suggest a more common 
life—a system of living in flats, for instance—instead of 
spreading out, as is the custom with us, seven or eight miles 
from relatives .or friends. Such dispersion renders public 
converse impossible. Other means might be deviced. 
Theatrical entertainments, musical performances, free exhi- 
bitions, and such like. All these things are much more 
