PROHIBITION IN SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 56, 29 November 1919, Page 14

PROHIBITION IN SAMOA

WITHDEAWAL OP PEOCLAMATION UKGED. A public meeting of European l residents of Samoa was held on October 31 to protost against, the proclamation prohibiting tho importation of intoxicating liquor. According to the "Samoa Times." tfue predominant attitude to\vards tlio proclamation was ono of do&p resentment against an edict which one speaker eti»iiiafdsed as "tlio most glaring attempt, to control tho liberty of British people that had ever ten niado under tho BriKsh. :««8,:"..-...-.: ■ :■?; ...../■■• »■•„: 'lho chairman read a petition addressed to Colonel Tate, .the Administrator of Samoa, and- giving rea6ons why the- 'signatories considered- that tho proclamation should bo rescinded.' After some discussion tho following , resolution weis adopted:—"This meeting wishes to empliatica.lly protest against the high-handed action of the authorities, namely, establishing prohibition on .this territory by military proclamation. "We claim that if prohibition is necessary here, \ye, tho residents, are the right ones to decide tho question, and should have been consulted, whereas to nso the powerful machinery of military law (implicitly oboyed during war, but now twelve months after war has censed intoleiv able) Ms raised , intense indignation hud distrust amongst us, and wo urgently insiefc. that euch an undemocratic and' utterly uncalled for- measure Ve withdrawn immediately." At the close of fch« meeting tihoso pro/ sent wero -requested to sign tho petition.