SAMOAN INQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1927, Page 2

SAMOAN INQUIRY

(Special to Press Assn, by Radio.) APIA, Sept. 27. Prohibitoin occupied the attention of the Commission to-day. Mr Braisby (Tnpector of Police) stated that home brewing of liquor was unknown in 1920. Since prohibition commenced however, intoxicating liquors had been brewed. The highest percentage of alcohol in the home-brew brought l>efore the Court was eight per cent. The usual quantities ran from four to six per cent. Alcohol exceeding three per cent, was against the law. Many cases had been before the Court. Some of the European Samoans about Apia drank this stuff. He did not know that the Samoans living in Samoa drank much. The coolies and others distilled spirits on the plantatons. “Cocoa Juice contained from forty-five to seventy-five per cent, of proof spirit. He was not prepared to say whether Samoa would” be better off under a permit system. That was a matter for the administration.” Air John Dowling. Manager in Apia for Morris Hedstrom, Ltd. Fiji, deposed that on its local profits, his firm was unable to pay prices for copra equal to those given by the Administration. In the districts where his firm bought for £lO Is Bcl per ton, the profit was £1 17s 5d less the overhead charges. Around Apia they paid £l3 8s lOd per ton, and their profits were practically negligible. In the six months up to August 31st. last, his firm’s trading stations in Apia district had yielded profits of only one point fourteen per cent, on copra and merchandise.

Air Dowling objected to the Administration inteferring witli private enterprise by purchasing copra at higher prices than private enterprise could afford. A common price had been agreed upon by the Apia merchants, but it was a fair price. If it were unfair, it would induce other traders to come in and look for the cream. Air Aleredith: How long have Hedstroms been here? AA’it ness : Six months. Air Aleredith: AA’ere you here to share the cream?

Witness: AVe came here to extend our business. AA'e now > see a possibility of the Administration elaborating its present scheme, and eventually taking over the whole copra-pur-chasing business. Incidental to the reiterated contentions of the witnesses that Samoan Administration was buying copra straight out, which the Administration specifically had denied, before the Commission, Sir Clias Skerrett remarked that Apia seemed to lie “a garden of suspicion.” Air AA’alkor A 7 oiglit, Secretary to P.C. Fabrics, Ltd. of Apia, claimed that lie could conscientiously say that they could not pay prices equal to the Administration prices. The margin was insufficient for safe trading. Air AA’m. Burnett, Secretary of Nelsons Ltd. testified similarly.

Questions of Sir Chns Skerrett as to how the merchant at Apia arrived at their mutual buying prices elicited a reply not in agreement with that of previous witnesses. Sir Clias Skerrett said that it was extraordinary that not one of five competent witnesses could fully explain or agree as to the basis.