Permits To Drink
p. 75 · Read in the full issue
New System for Indians Likely in Fiji
SUVA, Sept. 12.
IT is likely that the liquor permit system, so far as it applies to Indians, will be abolished in this Colony, but that it will still apply to Fijians. At present, liquor may not be served in a public bar to either Fijians or Indians unless they can produce a police permit to drink alcoholic beverages.
If a wider privilege is extended to Indians, some responsibility will be placed upon the Indian com munity for seeing that it is not abused.
The average Fijian, like most Islanders, reacts more quickly and strongly to alcohol than does the Indian; and it is felt that the Fijian, for this reason, should be kept under a measure of official protection.
This does not apply to the Indian, who is much more sophisticated in such matters.
Under present conditions, a great deal of police time is taken up with applications for liquor permits for Indians. It is possible that the police, instead of being asked to issue permits to drink, will have the responsibility of issuing pro hibition orders against Indians who abuse their new freedom to drink when and how they will