Very Sly Grog!
p. 26 · Read in the full issue
Old Norfolk Custom to Cease Government Proclamation
From Our Own Correspondent NORFOLK IS., November 28.
IT is certain that we shall not con sume any passion-fruit this year in the form of wine—oh, dear, no! Not even “surreptitious like,” as we have done in the past—gazing cautiously around us, closing the doors, drawing down the blinds, and then producing and pouring out a golden “spot” for chosen friends.
For here is the latest proclamation in this free and happy land, suddenly appearing before our stupefied gaze on Saturday, November 21, when we went gaily down to Kingston to purchase our authorised fortnightly issue of wine, beer or spirits—rationed accord ing to our age and degree of innocence.
Public Notification
A number of residents appear to be under a misapprehension that it is permitted to make wine or brew beer for their own consumption, provided that they do not trade in it. This is not so, and it constitutes an offence against the Liquor Prohibition Law, 1913, which provides that no beer, wine or spirituous liquor shall be kept in any place on the island unless under and in accordance with a permit issued by the Administration.
Any person found in possession of wine, beer or spirituous liquor in contravention of the Liquor Prohibition Law, 1913, is liable to a fine of NOT LESS THAN TEN POUNDS or more than ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding: six months, OR BOTH.
By direction of His Honour the Administrator. (Sard.) Private Secretary.
That is pretty definite, isn’t it? And, as a safeguard of our sobriety and mor ality, it makes interesting reading when compared with the official figures of revenue returned from the island last year for strong liquors authorised and issued by a Government official from the most popular of all our stores —the Bond Store, our local Temple of Bacchus.
This revenue—so I read in an Auck land paper, in an article the material for which had been supplied by a retir ing constable, whose business it had been to serve out the liquor each Satur day-amounted to over £4,000; and our population, including infants, minors, and that considerable portion of the community who prefer to go without drink rather than line up in an un dignified queue outside the door of the Bond Store—totals up to something round about 900.
The general feeling is that, as a body of reputable subjects of the British Em pire, as decent and self-respecting as any other island settlement, we should be permitted at least a restricted liberty in making our own liquor.
The total trade of Western Samoa for 1930 amounted to £559,870, com pared with £582,787 for the previous year. Copra exported in 1930 was 12,285 tons, valued at £166,221, as against 12,941 tons, valued at £205,330 for 1929.