For Sly Grog in Fiji

Huge Penalties

BY an amendment of the Fiji Defence Regulations, which was gazetted on October 29, offenders against the liquor laws will be much more severely penalised in future.

Any person possessing, having custody of, or having on his premises, any uten sil for distilling or making spirits, or of selling or disposing of any illicitly dis tilled spirits, is liable to twelve months’ imprisonment, or a fine of £2OO, or both.

Any person selling liquor without a licence is liable to a fine of £5O, or six months’ imprisonment, or both, for the first offence; and for any subsequent offence, two years’ imprisonment, or £5OO fine, or both.

"These penalties seem drastic enough to discourage the most persistent “home brewer”—but, up to date, no punishment has served to stamp out this old Fijian custom. It yet remains to be seen whe ther these new regulations will work a cure. The presence of so many thirsty troops in Fiji has created a market for illicit grog which some people (especially Chinese) seem unable to resist.

A New Liquor Problem In Fiji

WHO are “natives,” in the meaning of the Fiji wartime regulation prohibit ing natives from purchasing liquor?

Judging by a recent “Fiji Times” report of a case, where Morris, Hedstrom Ltd. were charged with supplying liquor to a native, the somewhat hasty and ill-con ceived law is doing a little rebounding, and the magistrates are, interpreting it with difficulty.

The question at issue in this case was whether “lineal descendant” meant pat rilineal or matrilineal. The presiding magistrate, Mr. Ragnar Hyne, ruled that within the meaning of the regulation, only patrilineal descent could be taken into account; and. therefore, as the pur chaser of the liquor was a son of a pure blooded New Caledonian—although also a grandson of a European on the mater nal side —he must be classed as a native, and the defendants were found guilty.

This regulation may be well enough for full-blooded Fijians, who live as such— in their case the interpretation of the act is simple. But, in Fiji and its outlying territories, there are many Euronesians — that is, people of mixed European and Polynesian blood—who have been edu cated in European schools, who live as Europeans—and who naturally expect to enjoy the same amenities. But under the new regulation, whatever their sta tus in the community, many of them are classed as natives.

There was wisdom in the purpose behind this law. but it would be fairer in application if the question of what persons of mixed blood should be allowed liquor was left to the discretion of the magistrates—possibly by the issuing of permits to purchase—rather than to con demn everyone to the cut-and-dried wording of the Statute Book.

Mr. Alport Barker has been appointed to the Suva Town Board as an unofficial member, in place of Mr. R. A. Crompton, who has resigned. At the same time, the Governor has appointed Mr. Barker to be chairman—the first unofficial chairman since 1936—t0 succeed Mr. G. K. Roth, who also has resigned. The Suva Town Board has been a nominative body since the reform of the Fiji electoral system in 1936.