QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS. (Hansard, 16 August 1887)

§ EARL DE LA WARR

asked, Whether Her Majesty's Government proposed to take any steps to promote an international understanding with the view of preventing the sale of intoxicating spirits to the Natives of the Western Pacific Islands; also whether there existed any agreement on this subject between Germany and this country which was in force at the present time; and, whether Papers could be laid upon the Table of the House? The noble Earl said, he believed that the subject to which he had referred had been under the notice and consideration of successive Governments, and also that attempts had been made to place some check upon an evil which had tended in a great measure to demoralize the Native population in places where British or other European settlements or Colonies 657 had been established, but it did not appear that much good had as yet resulted. Until some official Papers were laid before the House it would be premature to enter into many details; but there could, he regretted to say, be no doubt—and he believed the fact would be admitted by Colonial Governors—that the trade in intoxicating spirits had been the source of great evil. It had tended to demoralize Native populations, and to hinder, if not, in some instances, to neutralize, efforts which had been made in the cause of civilization. It was, he believed, a notorious fact that European settlers, dating so far back as the time of the Spanish settlements in America, had not infrequently introduced vices and a lower tone of morality than previously existed among the Natives. He did not say that the introduction of intoxicating spirits was the only cause, but it added greatly to it; and thus traders, who invariably followed the steps of those who desired to be the bearers of civilization, had unhappily too often produced the very opposite results of vice and immorality. A great check would doubtless be put upon this if some international understanding could be arrived at by which traffic in spirits and intoxicating liquors could be, if not altogether stopped, at least controlled. The attention of Parliament had of late been called, for political reasons, to the Western Pacific Islands, and he would ask the noble Earl below him whether Papers relating to those Islands on the subject to which he now referred could be laid upon the Table of the House. He would specially mention Papers referring to an agreement which, as he was informed, existed between Germany and this country relative to the sale of intoxicating liquors in the Islands subject to their influence. He might also refer to the Samoa Islands, where German trading in spirits appeared to be carried on to a considerable extent. He would, however, ask the noble Earl not to confine the information which Her Majesty's Government were prepared to give to the places only which he had mentioned. There were, it was to be feared, many others which were suffering from the same evil. He held in his hand the report of a meeting of Native Chiefs recently held at King 658 William's Town, in Cape Colony. One of the speakers, a Caffre Chief, said that he knew it was a custom of the English to sell drink to their subjects; but, he added, why was drink brought into Native localities to impoverish and degrade the people. These words briefly and concisely stated the case which he desired to bring under the notice of Her Majesty's Government. He trusted their Lordships would be put in full possession of information generally on this subject, and especially as regarded the possibility of an international agreement for carrying out a united course of action.

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (The Earl of ONSLOW)

said, that Her Majesty's Government were fully alive to the danger of allowing not only the trade in intoxicating liquors, but also that in arms and ammunition, in the Western Pacific Islands. Steps had already been taken by Her Majesty's Government to endeavour to arrive at some international agreement on the subject; but, unfortunately, the Government of the United States did not see its way to enter into such an agreement, and Her Majesty's Government had therefore been compelled to abandon the scheme. Her Majesty's Government would, however, lose no opportunity that might be afforded them for renewing negotiations upon the subject. In the absence of the noble Marquess (the Marquess of Salisbury) he was unable to speak with certainty, but he might, he thought, say that there was no agreement existing with Germany on the subject. Each nation prohibited the sale of intoxicating liquors in its own Colonies and protected territories of the Western Pacific. As to the production of Papers, he was not aware that any draft agreement between this country and Germany was in existence; but any Papers relating to the negotiations to which he had alluded there would be no objection to produce; and he hoped that upon that understanding the noble Earl would not press his request.