A.—7.

Article LIX. Prohibition of the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors to Natives. (1) From the date when the present Convention comes into operation no person shall, in the !New Hebrides, including the Banks and Torres Islands, and within the territorial waters of the Group, sell or supply intoxicating liquors to the natives, in any form and on any pretext whatsoever. (2) Alcoholic drugs or cordials employed in case of disease or sickness are not included in the present prohibition. (3) The present prohibition shall cover spirits, beer, wine, and generally all fermented and intoxicating liquors. Article LX. Report of Offences. (1) Breaches of Articles LVII and LIX, respecting the prohibition of the supply of arms, ammunition, and intoxicating liquors to the natives shall be reported by the officers and agents of the police force, specially authorized for this purpose by the High Commissioners or their Delegates jointly. (2) The official report drawn up in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be prima facie evidence before the competent authority of the facts contained therein. (3) Any officer or agent of the police force holding an authority to that effect, who finds a native in possession of a prohibited weapon, or in a state of intoxication in a public place, shall arrest him and, after inquiry into the circumstances of the offence, shall draw up an official report for the information of the High Commissioners or their Delegates. If the offence is proved,.the native shall be punished by the Resident Commissioner having authority over the member of the police force making the arrest, or by the person appointed for the purpose, and the non-native suspected of complicity shall be prosecuted before the Joint Court. (4) Members of the police force shall not enter the house or premises of a non-native without his consent except as provided in the rules of procedure issued by the Joint Court, or the Regulations issued by the authority having jurisdiction over him. Search-warrants, when considered necessary in the case of a non-native, shall be issued by the Judge with jurisdiction over him. Article LXI. Penalties. (1) Any breach by non-natives of Articles LVII, LIX, and LX shall be punishable by a fine of from 4s. to 201. and imprisonment ranging from one day to one month, or by either of these penalties. (2) The Joint Court shall inflict the penalties and may further order the forfeiture of the arms, ammunition, or intoxicating liquors, and shall decide as to their disposal or destruction. Municipalities. Article LXII. Establishment of Municipalities. (1) Municipalities may be established in the Group, on the application of the non-native inhabitants. (2) Applications for the establishment of municipalities shall be addressed to one or other of the High Commissioners or their Delegates. The latter shall communicate such requests to one another, and determine jointly what action shall be taken thereon. (3) Applications made by a group of not less than thirty non-native adult inhabitants residing in the same district shall be, as far as possible, complied with. Article LXIII. Councils. (1) Every municipality shall be administered by a Council consisting of not less than four, and not more than eight members. (2) The Council shall elect a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman from its members. (3) Councillors shall hold office for four years. Article LXIV. Elections. (1) Non-natives of either sex and any nationality, who have completed their twenty-first year and have resided for six months at least in the district, shall be entitled to vote, with the exception of who have served a sentence of more than three months' imprisonment. ■ (2) Voters of either sex who have completed their twenty-fifth year shall be eligible for election. (3) The first elections shall take place within three months of the establishment of a municipality. (4) The elections shall take place under the supervision of two persons respectively appointed by the two Resident Commissioners.

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