NO-LIQUOR DECREE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3448, 30 March 1920, Page 3

NO-LIQUOR DECREE.

SAMOA AND RATATONGA.

DISMAY AMONG EUROPEANS.

PROTESTS TO GOVERNMENT.

: In every island which the New Zea~ *land Parliamentary Party visited, the question of liquor control was brought prominently before them, and in almost every case the white community was dismayed to hear of the- determination of the New Zealand Govern. ment to enforce complete prohibition_ At Rarotonga, where prohibition is coming into force forthwith, Sir James Allen was well fortified in his decision by what he had seen at Aitutaki and elsewhere, though the Rarotonga community itself has not abused the arrangements under which the Collector of Customs is arationing otficer. There it is understood that if a man abuses his allowance, or is seen drunk in‘ public, he cannot expect to get more liquor for a considerable time. At Apia, in Samoa, the Citizens" Committee made ai ‘strong protest. against. the ‘decision to introducei prohibition. It had been clearlyi proved, they say, that. without whisky it would have been impossible for the E White man to have done the prodigies which they undoubtedly did in combat— 4 ing the influenza epidemic. Not only did they work incessantly relieving the { sick amongst the natives, but theyl even undertook the ghastly task of; burying the native (lead after they} had lain, often three or four days, in their huts. The citizens claimed that} liquor did not. reach the natives ini Samoa through them. They had never : wished to be governed by New Zea~’ land, and if this mea:-*uv-e was tforced on them Ne\\' Zealand would commence V her administration in Samoa bitterly_ opposed by almost the whole of the white settlers. _ A eonnrrron or THE MANDATE. i In his reply, Sir James Allen: said, the National Government. had resolved ; hibition should prevail amongst whites i if it was to be successful amongst the natives. That decision hadlbeen con-l firmed by the Reform Government, ahd i he was anxious that they should see; that New Zealand was doing right inj the matter. By the Covenant of the: League of Nations, which was embod-A led in the Peace Treaty, it was declared to be the sacred trust of the protecting nations to secure the wellbeing and development of the native races-in the former German colonies. Moreover, the prohibition of the trafiic in liquor, arms, and slaves was enjoined upon all lands under mandatory government. Cionsequentlly, in taking over the islands on these terms, New Zealand had to prohibit absolutely the 1 sale of liquor_

EXPERIENCE IN COOK (‘xR()I7P. “I don't see how it is possible,” continued Sir James, “to prevent liquor reaching the natives, if we allow it to come into the eounti-y for the use of the whites. We lmve had expex'iem:e in the Cook group. where we know that liquor does reach the native. I also know that it. reaches them in Samoa. It will not be consistent with our trust, therefore, if we do not do everything we possibly can to prevent it reaching the Samoan native. There is another reason for it. You are living here, :1 hunt]t'n] of whites, amongst. the Sarnoans. :1 proud, digriifiedwuce. If wue are to e.x'tal)lis‘ll at the eommeneenient of our civil administrzition :1 Lli.<orilninatioxl between white and native whzit is it going to lead to‘? There is only one

cmlclusionz l_’ltinllltoly the Hunmun will say: Why are we treated in :1 difl’erent way to the "whites? Are we any worse than they ox‘ loss to be trusted! A DUTY TO THE SAZ\IOAI\IS.

“We have pl'ohibilL‘d the inlp<m‘:x» tion, but have not yet taken tho final step to stop consumption in Samoa. Provision will be made for a wpply

of liquor for medicinal, .~':lm‘:unmltul, s(-icntific, and industrial purpn.<c.~:. I

am going‘ to speak to you as white men like our.~relv(*s. I am not :1 mm] übst:linCl' myself. but 1 (,lOpllt in you you that there is -2. lead we m:l_\' ful-

low in what our men have done at the t'l-out. \Ve \\'llifvs haw .~'<»«-H .~<mnctlling' of the s:l(‘l'ifiC(‘s thnr Hwy have made during tlle'l:xst fivv )‘011!‘s. \\/‘hut have we done who have st:lyt‘d at home‘? Perhaps we have sin-‘l'ifl<:e<l some of our property and nlezm.<_, but but that is paltry. Now we have an opportunity to do sol'nelllillg, to give up some of our luxuries, and so to help the proud and dignified rzuzo of Samoa.”

Not a single one of the white community that the party has ‘visited has zmccpted 'the prohibition decision with a good grace.

< It was a strange paradox to find at Suva, in Fiji, the full schedule of English publjchousc hours observed. Not onfly are the barse open from daylight. to 11 p_m, on week days, but for eight hours on Sundays.