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statistics on the subject, with a view to publishing them; but he was restrained from doing so, on the grounds that so large a portion of its revenue was derived from that source, it would be unadvisable to draw publish attention to the evil.
The official returns of the revenue in that colony give the following results:—
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From the above, it will be seen that more than one-half the revenue of the colony was derived from intoxicating drinks, up to the year 1846. I have not been able to get returns to a later period, but I have been given to understand that, of late years, the proportion of revenue from intoxicating drinks has been about one-third. It is gratifying to hear of this relative reduction; but the amount derived from a paralyzing source is still enormous. Until the policy of a total suppression of the traffic in intoxicating drinks shall be adopted at home and abroad, the economic resources of the people cannot be fully developed
I am indebted to my friend Dr. Madden for the foregoing statements relative to Western Australia, and he has authorized me to give him as my authority for same.
Gentleman, I have more than once before expressed to you my solemn impression that our interesting discussions here can have no permanent good results, unless we individually carry out such convictions as they may impress on our minds. Drunkenness is a terrible evil in those distant colonies which I have now brought afresh under your notice; it is no less a terrible destroyer of happiness and prosperity at home. If you agree with me in this propo-
