AS MUCH LIQUOR AS THEY LIKE

Chronicle (Levin), 2 December 1948, Page 6

AS MUCH LIQUOR AS THEY LIKE

Press Assocr.atiorJ

Government Gives Equality To Maoris

(P.er

AyELLINGTUJN, JUee. 1. By defeat of an Opposition amendment in the House of Kepresentatives tonight when tlie Licensing AmendmenL Bill was being put tlirougli the commit tee stages, seetions 43 and 44 of the Licensing Amendment Act 1910 were repealed and in future Maori women can be served with liquor in hotel bars and Maori men can take liqnor away for consumption off licensed premises. The Opposition 's amendment was moved 'by Mr. Doidge who said that, as the Leader of the Opposition had indicated last- night, any change in the ex is'ting law affecting the consumption of liquor by members -of the Maori race, would tye opposed by that sid'e of the House. Section 43 of the Act, in elfeet, forbade the supply of liquor to a Maori man for consumption off licensed premises and section 44 forbade the suppiy of liquor to an intoxicated Maori and the supply of liquor to a Maori women uniess she was married to a European. The Government had accepted the principle that the Maori was under a dis ability and a paternal Parliament must protect the Maori people against themselves. If seetions 43 and 44 of the Licensing Act were repealed, he knew what the feeling would be among tlm police who realised - the drinking pro pensities of the. Maori people. The .Maori was more subject to temptatiou than a European and the repeal of the seetions would rembve safeguards tliat had been in existence for a good num ber of vears. Mr. Nash said the purport of the amendment was that liquor sfiould not be supplied to a Maori woman if she was married to a Maori but could bc supplied if a Maori woman was married to a European. He could not think of any worse discrimination. He was very concerned with the cruelty (Opposition laughter) in the words that said a Maori woman married to oue of hei own race, was inferior to a Maori woman married to a European and he could sec no reason why there sliould be a barriet against Maori women. Mr. Nasb said that, according to tlie amendment, onv sister could go into an hotel and be served with liquor aiul the other could not but tlie purpose of tlie Bill was to reniove the seetions of a discriminatory nature between Maori and European and it was time that that was done. Mr. C. G. E. Harper (Hawke's Bay) said many leaders of the Maori racc were nios't strongly opposed to the in troduetion of liquor on to the marae o-r into the pa. Perhaps the four Maori

members m the House agreed with that [>oint of view but many leaders of the Maori race would bitterly regret the repeal of the provisions and would applaud the reteutiou of the seetions."' Mr. Tirikatene said the ^ Opposition was endeav ouring to place restriction on and discrimination between the races gonerally. To say tliat leaders of tlie Maori race would deplore .Maori women drinking in hotel bars was not tlie point. The point w.as equality between Maori and European. European women would agree that there were some in their own ranks who could not withstand the strain of temptation ami he was prepared to say tliat some would be found in the Maori ranks. Mr. iS. W. riinilh (Ilobson) said that tlie repeal of tlie previous legislatiou would be viewed with grave alarm by tlie police and Maori and European resi dents in liis district. The Acting LTiiim Minister had niade an amazing speecli which was a lot of "sloppy sentiment ' and if he meant anything he could proliibit all Maori women from hotel bars. Mr. Nash: All women. Mr. Smith asked what equality of Maori with European meant. Tli - (Maori people were exempted from con scription, with which lie agreed, and tlicy were exempted from the provisions of the Land Saies Act, with which he did not agree. If the niember for Houthern Maori wanted equality, would he say he sliould be the representative of 800 people instead of 14,00(1? Mr, Smith said that oue of the grave vveak nesses of the (Maori was liis laclc of cont ro 1 under the influence of liquor, He could visualise what would happen on the day when a Maori could take away

from an hotel all. the whisky and rum that he wanted. Mr. Tirikatene: Tluit type of Maon will be put in hiasMace. Mr. \V. T. AjSHpn (Auckland Leutral ) said he ^H^rrv that such an amenduH'ut sltW^Po moved so unsym patheticnlly. ^jPPrris opinion tlie Oppo siiion had no deep concern or considei ation for the (Maori race. Mr. Smith: Your opinion isn t worth anvtliing. ]Mr. Anderton said he could not ac cept the Opposition storv that the Maori was inferior to the European. There were scareely any landlords in the countrv who would serve a -Macii! or European woman in a public bar. Acceptance of the amendment would put up -a colour bar. Mr. (M. Moohan (Petone) said tioMaori of today was not the Maori ot l(t() vears ago. The time to give the Maori equality with tlie European wai now and it was sheer absurdity to say tliat the Maori could go and fight in two world wars and yet could iiot d' what the Kanuka, Chinese, Polynesian, Hindu — Mr. Smith: Or Irishinan? Mr. Moohan — or Islander can do. 11c said there wero very few liotels which served eithor Maori or European women in bars. The Opjiosition was trying to cloud the issue and make it appear thal all liotels in New Zealand catered fo' women drrnking in public bars. . A division was called for at t liis stagc and tlie clause containing the repea. provisions was retained by 35 votes to ♦ >»). Tlie Bill was given a tliird readina nd passed.