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Samoa Under the Sailing Gods

Exhibit No. 9 from "The Report of the Royal Commission on the Administration of Western Samoa, 1927" Alcoholic Liquor in Western Samoa 16th May, 1927

Exhibit No. 9 from "The Report of the Royal Commission on the Administration of Western Samoa, 1927" Alcoholic Liquor in Western Samoa 16th May, 1927.

His Excellency, General Sir George S. Richardson, K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G., Administrator of Western Samoa.

Your Excellency,

A reference made by Your Excellency at a meeting of heads of Departments prior to your visit to the New Hebrides to the subject of liquor in Samoa has been taken by us to indicate the possibility of your bringing before the Hon. the Minister of External Affairs a proposal for a change of the law on this subject, if you were satisfied that such a change is for the benefit of Samoa. Accordingly, since that meeting, we, your departmental heads, being ourselves satisfied that a change is desirable, have met again, with official permission, to discuss privately and formulate proposals which have the concurrence of us all and which might be of some assistance to Your Excellency. The object which we have had in mind in framing the proposals now submitted herewith is not a selfish one. It is, in short, to help Your Excellency make this Territory a happier one for both Natives and Europeans. That object, we think, can be accomplished by an amendment of the law in the following directions:

First, to ensure the more effective prevention of the supply of intoxicating beverages to the Natives, as required by Article 3 of the Mandate.

As it at present stands the law, though in intention a good one, is ineffective to prevent either Natives or Europeans from obtaining and consuming intoxicating liquor. It permits the manufacture of liquor containing up to 3 per cent. of proof spirit. This is the outstanding weakness. By the use of a concoction called "All-In-One," which has for some time been imported into Samoa in huge and increasing quantities, it is easy, with the addition of sugar and water only, to make an intoxicating liquor resembling beer, locally called fa'a mafu. page 296Unless the amount of sugar is carefully regulated the percentage of alcohol in this fa'a mafu beer rises above the legal 3 per cent. The addition of extra sugar ensures an excess of alcohol and gives the drink a "kick," which is its only recommendation among its devotees. The manufacture of fa'a mafu beer from "All-in-One" not being prohibited by law, the police cannot interfere with it except on those rare occasions when they are able to obtain samples exceeding the legal percentage. This is generally possible only after, and as a result of, cases of drunkenness coming under their notice. It is practically impossible in outlying districts. We have no doubt whatever that, in spite of the efforts of the police, a great deal of over 3 per cent. fa'a mafu beer is habitually made and consumed, particularly by the young half-caste population. In proof of this we refer Your Excellency to the figures of the importation of "All-In-One" for the year 1926—viz. 485 cases. It is estimated that it is sufficient to brew 28,875 dozen quart bottles of fa'a mafu beer. The total white population of the Territory, as Your Excellency knows, is about 446, and this concoction is not a favourite one among them.

We also quote the report of the Collector of Customs, who on his inspection of trading-stations last year found that "All-In-One" was stocked in the majority of stores throughout Samoa, including those situated in places where there were no whites living in the vicinity. "All-In-One" is used for no other purpose than the manufacture of fa'a mafu beer.

The prohibition of the importation of "All-In-One" would not alone suffice to prevent brewing, as other products of the country can be, and sometimes are, used in substitution for it. Spirits also can be, and are, manufactured from paw-paws and cocoa, though the difficulty of distillation and the efforts of the police have prevented the manufacture of spirits becoming a menace. The only course, therefore, to ensure that the spirit of the Mandate will be carried out effectively in the future seems to be to prohibit absolutely, as we suggest in the following proposals, the brewing or preparation of any fermented or alcoholic liquor whatever.

Secondly, by allowing a more liberal and reasonable, though a strictly controlled, use of alcoholic liquor by those persons of European and mixed race who can use it without detriment, to overcome the hostility to the Administration and its activities which the present law arouses.

page 297

The law is, rightly or wrongly, regarded by many people as a just grievance. If it were amended to allow them to obtain a quantity of liquor sufficient, but no more than sufficient, for their own personal and reasonable consumption, it would command the support of these people, and the Administration would receive from them more co-operation in its efforts for the good of the Territory, and particularly in its efforts to prevent drinking among the Natives and others to whom it is detrimental.

We draw Your Excellency's attention to the fact that under our proposals the total permits issued by the Board would probably be under four hundred. The General Report for 1926, page 26, shows the European population to be 637. Of this number probably at least one hundred would not apply for permits, they having no taste for liquor; a further fifty or so would be rendered ineligible by their police and Court records; and another one hundred at least would be lacking in the qualifications set out in clause 5 of the proposals.

In conclusion, and in order to show our sincerity in the matter, we would impress on Your Excellency the necessity for clause 9, which refers to penalties for offences. These we consider are sufficiently drastic to deter would-be offenders from taking risks in trading in alcoholic liquor of any kind. We have made no mention of penalties in connection with brewing, feeling satisfied that this will be dealt with by the Law Department in the event of any change being made in the present system.

Attached herewith please find schedule of before-mentioned proposals.

I have, etc.,

R.J.C.,

For Heads of Departments of the Samoan Administration.