COOK ISLAND NATIVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17876, 5 March 1920, Page 6

COOK ISLAND NATIVES

' l STftTE CONTROL OF LIQUOR TRAFFIC. ' (Pib United Pbkbs Association.) ; WELLINGTON, March 4. ;•• In view of the stir caused in Samoa somo ' nontha aco by tho proclamation announcing ■ tho prohibition, of the importation, nialiuifaotunj, or sal© of alcoholic liquors, mem- , tors ,>of tho parliamentary jwjrty on the , 'Mokoia, during a lecture aboard, listened ■with i obvious interest to tho remarks of ; v Mr F. W. Platts, Resident Commissioner, Cook Islands, in reforenco to the position ' 'in'that group. He said: "In Cook Islands ' tthero is State control, but I cannot say ' 'that it is a success. No liquor is allowed rl to natives; it never will bo as long as New ."Zealand has control; but the white comfy'munity is permitted _to obtain it. This gives the natives a grievance. They com-/'-plain that the best of their people arc not J 'allowed to procure liquor, whilst the worst I/of the Europeans can get as much as they Jjke.' That a small European community set - 1 in the midst of a larg» native' population ' should'<be allowed liquor, whilst natives > are prohibited, is wrong in principle. Tho 'Administration makes about £400 ! per annum from the sale of liquor, but this it .would-gladly forgo if liquor could be cut out altogether." . r *' =—=s==