SLY GROG

Northern Advocate, 5 July 1928, Page 3

SLY GROG

NEW HEBRIDES ABUSE APPEAL TO SAVE NATIVES SYDNEY, This Day. Strongly appealing for help to save the natives of the New Hebrides from illegal drink traffickers, Mr J. J. Kavanagh a planter, of Ambrym, and formerly a resident of Sydney, has written to the Sydney “Herald,” urging a movement for their repression. “Scourged as they are by dysentery, malaria, and the hosts of other tropical diseases,” says Mr Kavanagh, “drink seals the natives’ doom.

“For some time past,” he continues, “unscrupulous traders have had a free hand at dispensing liquor to the natives in the group. Owing to the lax supervision by dual government, little effort has been made to check the heavy drinking among the natives. I have had 12 years experience in the Islands, and missionaries, traders and planters are agreed that to allow the natives access to intoxicating liquor is a crime. Scores of deaths have taken place here owing to excessive drinking. The temptation to sell grog is great, owing to the large profits accruing from the sales. jThe Customs duty is small. A bottle of gin costs 4/2. This is sold to the natives for 20/-. Brandy costs 2/6, but the natives pay the sly grog-sell-ers 16/-. On a bottle of rum the trafficker makes a profit of 10/-. Wine of very poor quality, adulterated with methylated spirits, is 3/- per bottle. It costs the trader about 6d. This liquor has terrible effects on the native. The American bootlegger is not in it with his island confreres.

“The injury to local trade is showing up very clearly,” states Mr Kavanagh. “The output of native produce since the advent of liquor has dropped by 50 per cent. The late English Governor at Vila made a beginning at cleaning up the trouble, but his good work was not carried on. Natives grin when the Government is mentioned, and say: ‘Him (meaning the Government’s yachts), he no come out’; meaning that the two vessels are always at anchor in Vila harbour. What the two crews do to fill in time has always been a mystery to the white residents of the group. “If the South African law (a heavy fine and deportation) was put into force here the Government could easily rid these islands of the grog parasites, who are fast destroying what is left of the natives, body and soul.”