Still No Liquor For Fiji Indians
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Fiji Indians
, From Our Own correspondent
Suva, Dec. 5.
THE Liquor Bill—which is planned to end the present system of virtual prohibition on Indians and Fijians alike, by removing all restrictions on the Indians while retaining all restrictions on tjie Fijians reached the Legislative Council of Fiji during the Budget session (which ended last week); but made little progress.
Before the debate on the second read ing, it was announced that the Govern ment had decided that the Bill should be referred to a Select Committee.
The debate thus became a debate on a motion proposed bv the Secretary for Fijian Affairs (Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna) suggesting this course, “in view of the conflict of opinion, both inside and out side the council.”
All the European unofficial members, with the execution of Sir Hugh Ragg, said that they were opposed to the Bill as it stood. The First and Second Fijian members opposed it, and one Indian mem
ber opposed it on the grounds that he was opposed to liquor for anybody.
The remainder of the Indians clam oured for the Bill, because it would free the Indians from “racial discrimination” in relation to liquor. This appeared to be the principal point in its favour, in Indian eyes.