Liquor Laws

Went By Chief Judge

The Cooks' Liquor Laws Out of Step?

: Islands liquor laws “may

f much out of step with

opinion”, says the Cooks’

lief Judge Chief Judge

ade an important sta f ement he liquor question in Raro :a recently—giving opinions rill be supported by many Judge Stace made his re iter having surveyed a list art cases, 31 of which turned be charges of having consumed liquor, id he felt it was his duty constructive remarks when as a danger of the law fall disrespect. e made it clear that while stood, it would be enforced. aid that in future first s on charges of illegal con i would be fined £l. A second would bring a fine of 30/-, re would be rises of 5/- for >eated offence up to a maxi £s. ; end of each year the slate be wiped clean and old s would be treated in the r as new offenders.

Judge Stace added: Court’s concern with liquor however, does not, in my stop there. There is a mportant consideration, and he opinion I formed shortly rival here that this part of might well be very much itep with public opinion. is is so it is dangerous, for state of affairs can only iisrespect, or even contempt, liquor laws, and must also rards disrespect of the law ■al.

"In Sympathy"

ie application of the liquor these islands there seems m almost unavoidable dis :ion between most Maori and Europeans, and which 1 very largely on race. In nlightened times the only ir discrimination should be /e every sympathy with the whose difficult, and I sup ankless, job it is to apply isent permit system or to ict or combat its results. It

is, incidentally, an unpleasant duty for me to brand as lawbreakers, people, so many of whom, whatever may be their propensity for mischief, certainly do not seem to be criminals at heart.”

He added that he had recently gone to some trouble to find out what local public opinion is on the liquor question.

“I thought this might be difficult to do but perhaps it is easier than I thought, for my attention has been drawn to the recommendations of the select committee of the Legislative Assembly for 1958. . .

“I know that . . . the matter is under consideration in Wellington.

In the meantime, unless and until there is a change, the law stands and it is the duty of this Court to enforce it fairly and impartially but with reasonable firmness. That will be done.”

A recent visitor to Western Samoa has been Dr. Edwin M. Lemert, Pro fessor of Sociology at the University of California, who is making a year’s study of liquor laws and problems in the Pacific. Professor Lemert said Samoa was one of the most interesting places he had visited from the point of view of drink, and said the subject seemed to be very much in people’s minds.