To Hebrides Natives

S upplying Liquor To Hebrides Natives

From Our Own correspondent . ... VILA, Apnl 18. riIHE New Hebrides Condominium Gov- X ernment recently introduced measures to control the flow of liquor which is reaching the natives of the Group. The

Government, like everyone else, is fully aware that no small amount of spirits purchased from retail stores throughout the Group is resold to natives who are willing to pay the price demanded. wa ? Proposed that either Trading Companies implement their own forms of rationing or that the war-time liquor permit system be re-introduced. Undei this latter scheme no one at all could purchase liquor without a permit and thus the unscrupulous would be prevented from

accumulating undue quantities which, obviously, would have to go on to the black market.

Commercial houses have agreed to put into immediate effect the Government’s alternative proposal. We will be interested to see how it all works out under this form of voluntary rationing. Tonkinese, for example, can only purchase two bottles of spirits at the one time. They could get two bottles 10 times a day from various sources, of course, but at least they are prevented from buying a case or two on the spot.

In other cases, the onus is on the individual to show, should he be ques tioned by authority, that any liquor purchase which would seem to be in excess, was not intended for illegal use or resale, Tonkinese are bv no means the sole operators of the grog-running racket.

Article 59, Paragraph 1 of the Protocol signed at London on August 6, 1914, and concerning the New Hebrides states, in part: “No person shall, in the New Hebrides . . . sell or supply alcoholic liquors ... (to natives) in any manner or on any pretext what-so-ever.” This prohibition covers beer, spirits, wines and generally all fermented and intoxicating liquors except for medicinal purposes.

There are, doubtless, many people who would prefer to abide by the law, but a point which still remains to be solved is that the natives soon learnt to go where the liquor was, and it became a case of no liquor, no labour.

The New Hebrides is reputed to be the largest per capita liquor-consuming country in the world.

A part-European named Harold Gibson was found dead recently in Rotuma (north of Fiji) and his wife has been charged with murder. Fiji police are handling the case.