On Liquor

Cook Islanders

Want Action

Firmer action to combat the mounting rate of drunkenness and illegal consumption of alcohol in the Cook Islands seemed forecast following a meeting of community leaders at Rarotonga in February.

At the meeting, there was general agreement that the problem was in creasing and that some action would have to be taken.

r!E following seven-point resolu

tion was agreed upon: • The sale of malt and hops should be controlled and restricted. • Penalties for brewing and illegal consuming should be in creased. • There should be a programme of education and a combined cam paign by the churches and the Social Development Department to attack the problem. • There should be wider police patrolling of country areas. • There should be no racial dif ferentiation in the treatment of per sons found breaking the liquor laws. • Great care should be exercised in the introduction of proposed new legislation which would make liquor more freely available. ® There should be some control on the migration of people from the outer islands to the main island of Rarotonga—as landless and jobless persons appeared to be the worst offenders in crimes of drunkenness and associated crimes.

During the meeting, the Chief of Police said that over the past 10 years there had been 6,000 convic tions for consuming alcohol without a permit, 354 convictions for brew ing, and 136 convictions at Raro tonga alone for being in illegal possession of alcoholic liquor. The island has a population of under 8,000.

Student-Farmers

A student farmer scheme has been started at Navuso Agricultural School, Fiji, follow ing upon the recommendation of the Burns Commission. Twelve students will live in small cottages—and each will farm sub sistence and cash crops, for a monthly allowance. Here is one of the houses, built by trade students from the Ratu Kadavulevu school on land cleared by the boys. In a few years it is hoped the scheme will be self supporting.

Photo: Rob Wright