DRASTIC DECISIONS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 257, 29 July 1942, Page 5

DRASTIC DECISIONS

Tightening Up Liquor Laws In Victoria (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 28. Drastic decisions to tighten, up Victoria’s liquor laws have been announced. Melbourne had been alleged to be the worst place in Australia for illicit drinking. It is now illegal, to serve liquor to women under 21 and males under 18, and the onus of proof of age is placed on the licensee. Special steps will be taken to prevent the sale of cheap wines of high alcohol content. An additional 25 police will be appointed to supervise liquor raiding. Four thousand people waited outside the otlice of the Premier, Mr. Duustau, while a deputation asked for more stringent enforcement of liquor laws. One petition presented to him -was signed by 95,000 people from all parts of Victoria.

A report has been made to the Federal Government alleging excessive drinking, sly grog selling, profiteering and other “glaring” abuses of the liquor laws. The worst abuses were stated to be found in Melbourne. The report will be placed before the conference of State Premiers early next month. Shorter Bar Hours? Hours of drinking in Australian hotels are expected to be curtailed, after the conference. In New South Wales hotels may be closed for two or three hours each afternoon. The Commonwealth authorities believe this would conserve liquor for munition workers and restrict drinking by the idle class. Temperance bodies have been waging a strong campaign in favour of a heavier cut in liquor consumption, but illegal trading and the growing amount of excess drinking among a section of the community are given as the strongest reasons for drastic tightening up of liquor control.