Little Reaction To New Drink Laws
p. 141 · Read in the full issue
New Drink Laws
From a Suva Correspondent The removal of restrictions on drinking spirits by Indian and Fijian males on January 1 did not have the immediate dire effects many had forecast when the Fiji Government, in July, amended the Liquor Ordinance. Nor did Liquor whole salers report an upsurge in bottle sales.
January 1 wholesale licences, ” which restricted liquor sales to lots of not less than two gallons, were converted to off-licences, allow ing sales by the single bottle.
Suva public bars were almost deserted on New Year’s Day and for many days after. The local drinkers still stuck to beer, probably because it was cheaper, and because they got more for their money.
Most publicans and holders of off licences considered that the first few days were too early to give any in dication of the effect of the new law.
The number of drunks appearing in court, usually a fair barometer was very small. This seemed to bear out statements about a shortage of ready cash to spend in hotel bars.