52

A.—s

taste for alcohol amongst the half-castes, and the danger thereform to the Natives, prohibition is desirable for the community. The great bulk of the Native population have no taste for drink. They are already, I understand, protected by the Government in that matter. The prevalence of drinking among the Natives is, I think, practically confined to the immediate neighbourhood of Apia. But some form of prohibition, I think, is desirable. Hon. Sir James Allen: I should like to know whether you knew at the time what the other statements were in this pamphlet j Rev. Mr. Clarke : Yes. The papers were all read and discussed in detail at the final meeting, I think I ought to add that on the policy of prohibition I am not in favour of prohibition. I think that as a temporary measure for the present it is desirable; but as a permanent thing 1 do not believe in prohibition. Hon. Sir James Allen : I do not know whether the committee desire to add anything to what is stated in this pamphlet before I ask honourable members if they have any questions to ask. lithe committee do so desire, now is their opportunity to make what statement they think it desirable to make. Mr. Nelson : The Citizens' Committee have nothing to add'to what has been presented to the party in pamphlet form. Hon. Sir James Allen: Then I think we had better take these articles seriatim, in the order in which they appear in the pamphlet. The first article is the one dealing with labour and agriculture. Honourable members have had the opportunity of reading the pamphlet, and I now invite them to put questions on the subject of labour and agriculture. Mr. MoCombs : I understand that the committee was set up at a publio meeting, that it was asked to draw up a report to submit to a subsequent public meeting, and that at the subsequent public meeting the report was not read: is that so? Mr. Nelson : The public meeting that elected the committee instructed the committee to work up these different subjects, and to report their deliberations to another general meeting. This was done by giving an outline of the work done by the committee, and it was accepted by that pubile meeting. Mr. McCombs : I should like to ask some member of the committee if the report in the Samoa, Times of the second meeting is a correct one, which states that the report of the committee was not read to the meeting ? Mr. Nelson : I think I have already stated that the report as it appears in this pamphlet was not read to the public meeting, because when the first public meeting was held there was no thought of putting the views on these subjects into pamphlet form. Before the second general meeting was held we notified the public that the work of the committee would appear in pamphlet form, and thus all would be able to read it, and that it would take all night if it were read that night. A vote of confidence in the committee was passed by that general meeting, and the outline given of the work that had been done bj the committee was accepted. Mr. Veitoh : Since the publication of this pamplet have the committee received any protest from the public concerning the pamplet 1 Mr. Nelson : We have received no protests from any of the public up till now. Mr. Young : Did the general public have access to this pamphlet ? Mr. Nelson :It was available last Saturday. It would have been available before but for the fact that it was thought that the Parliamentary Party should first have their copies. Mr. Young : How many copies were printed, and how many were circulated ? Mr. Nelson : Five hundred. Mr. McCombs : It was submitted to the Parliamentary Party before it was submitted to the public, in whose name it speaks : is that so? Mr. Nelson : The public had accepted it already by the vote of confidence in the committee at the last general meeting. Hon. Sir Jambs Allen : I think we had better get to the question of labour and agriculture if members have any questions to ask. Labour and Agriculture. Hon. Mr. Garland :On pages 2 and 3 there are important statistics given. May the Parliamentary Party accept those figures as correct and culled from the reports of the Department in whose name they are printed? The figures deal with the acreages of land held under different titles. Hon. Sir James Allen : I think I had better answer that myself. These figures will be accepted by the Parliamentary Party and by the Government of New Zealand, with, one exception. They have been supplied by the officers of the Department here, and the other information has been obtained frdm reliable sources, I am informed. So we accept your figures, with the exception of one on page 7, under the heading " Copra." lam informed that for the year 1918 the value of the export set down—£426,s76 —is incorrect. It should be £246,576. There has been a transposition of the figures. With that alteration I think I may advise members to accept the figures. I think it will be most convenient to me, and I hope to you, if I make my statement after each of the subjects has been dealt with. Gentlemen, we are very grateful to you for the trouble you have taken to prepare the statistics and the information which is contained in this part of your pamphlet. There are a few items which I want to refer to before I make a general statement. On page 8 there is a reference to a considerable expense that you were put to by the Government removing the Chinese hospital from tho place where it was, and treating the Chinese patients in the hospital at Apia. I am informed that the reason for it was (hat the treatment of the indentured labourer would be very much safer under Government control—safer from the point of view of the labourer himself and the community generally—than would be the case if he were