Liquor Troubles
p. 19 · Read in the full issue
Fiji, Too, Has its Liquor Troubles
From Our Own Correspondent TmrßTr uo. u SUVA, June 23. -tiERE has been an enormous increase in the number of liquor exemption permits issued in Fiji over the past six years. In 1947 there were only 7,542 holders of all , In 1953 there were 20,088 — 14,815 bemg Indians; and 5,473 be ing Fijians and others.
This large increase has followed the proposal, made first in 1947, to lift liquor restrictions altogether from the Indians while retaining virtual prohibition for the Fijians.
The measure was not received sympathetically by the Europeans or the Fijians and, in 1949, after a chequered history, the measure was dropped.
However, in effect, the objective has been achieved by a large in crease in the number of permits issued to Indians—most Indians who want to drink seem now to be able to get a permit.
Drinking in the Colony is not, of course, confined to permit-holders and it is common talk that anyone who wishes may obtain any amount of illegal liquor by one means or another. The increase in drinking is causing concern to community leaders and various remedies have been suggested. At the recent meet ing of the Council of Chiefs, the Governor, Sir Ronald Garvey, sug gested that perhaps one way would be to make permits the rule for everyone, irrespective of race.
It is unlikely that this would be very favourably received by Euro peans.
The Council of Chiefs recom mended two types of permit for Fijians—one in which a provincial committee would decide the quant ities to be issued; and the other which would be a general exemption from restriction.
On the same liquor question, a few months ago, the Rev. L. D.
Fullerton, of the Methodist Mission, said that between 1950 and 1952 liquor imports rose from £135,500 to £237,000 — 2h times the approved Government expenditure on Agri culture, and the quantity imported in 1952 was 375,500 gallons com pared with 289,000 gallons in 1950.
There have been suggestions in
Fiji in recent years that a local brewery might be established.
Missionaries have indicated that it Will be over their dead bodies. (EDITORIAL NOTE: Breweries have been set up in P. Moresby, Noumea and Papeete. There seems no suggestion, in those places, that these breweries, of themselves, have caused any increase in the con sumption of alcohol amongst the natives.)