Governor Says Fijians To Be

Learning by Doing

Educated To Drink Beer

The decision of the Governor of Fiji, Sir Ronald Garvey, to allow Fijians freedom to drink beer, thus doing away with the permit system for beer, has raised mixed opinions even among Fijians.

“IT has taken me almost four X years to face the position squarely and to realise that there is only one solution to our liquor problem and that is by educating our people to a proper sense of responsibility in the con sumption of alcoholic liquor.” With these words the Governor announced his decision at the September meeting of Fiji Legisla tive Council.

The Governor later set up a committee, headed by the Director of Agriculture, to: Consider whether, in implementing the de cision to permit all races to drink beer while retaining the existing restrictions on the drink ing of spirits, any special measures are desirable and practicable to ensure that the change in the law in respect of beer will not lead to a material increase in the illicit drinking of spirits; and in particular to con sider whether such measures should include provision that the sale of beer in licensed premises for consumption on the premises by natives or Indians should only be lawful where the beer is consumed in special beer parlours in which beer alone is served.

The Fiji elders, never very receptive to any change, are frankly sceptical of the new freedom.

They say that it will greatly increase drinking by young Fijians, but are more concerned about the economic repercussions than the actual consumption of liquor.

They say that in Suva where many Fijians are emp’oyed in the Public Works Department and various industries, their weekly wage envelope on Friday nights will go largely for beer, not only for themselves but for hangers-on not in employment who will be able to rely on a fellow-villager or friend for free drinks on pay night—while the wives and families suffer.

That is perhaps the worst danger which may have to be met, and how any committee is going to do anything about that is not clear.

The Governor pointed out that “control” has failed. There is no doubt that this is true. Fijians who want liquor seem to be able to get it with or without permit.

Others make do with methylated spirits.

It is therefore argued that it would be better for them to have free access to beer, an overdose

of which would at the worst only make them sick, and not fighting drunk as in the case of methylated spirits or adulterated whisky, gin or rum, where part of the real spirit is removed and replaced with water. and methylated spirits added to make up the strength.

It is a good argument but the question as to whether the average Fijian labourer can afford to take his pay envelope into an hotel on a Friday night is still another question. And a rather disturbing one. —Fiji Correspondent. (It is an interesting argument that one becomes merely “drunk” on beer and “fighting drunk” on spirits—but it is a theory that still has to be proved. Individuals react to intoxicants in a usually fixed, and individual, pattern. Some become happy, some morose, some abusive, some want to fight. We

would like to see the statistics prove that there are fewer figl beer drunks than there J

fighting whisky drunks;

conversely, more happy beer dn than there are happy wl drunks.—Ed.).