Liquor Laws
p. 69 · Read in the full issue
Papuan Half-Castes And
WE have received from a resident of Misima, Papua, a letter in vigorous language, wherein the Administra tion is criticised for imposing heavy fines upon half-castes guilty of consuming in toxicating liquor.
Our correspondent asks why half castes should be classed with natives in this regard. He points out that half castes, for the most part, are men of some education, and usually are decent and law-abiding citizens, and he thinks that they are just as much entitled to the liquor privilege as are Europeans and Asiatics. He does not contest the wisdom of the anti-liquor law, as applied to natives, but he does urge that in its ap plication to half-castes it has caused many injustices and, in some cases, hard ships amounting to absolute cruelty.
Inspector W. B. Prior, of the New Guinea Police Force, arrived in Australia in May to join the A.I.F.