DRINKING BY WOMEN

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27735, 12 August 1955, Page 10

DRINKING BY WOMEN

POSSIBLE EXCLUSION FROM BARS LEGISLATION BEING CONSIDERED (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 11. The Government is considering the introduction of legislation to prohibit all women from drinking in bars. This controversial step is how being considered by both the Cabinet and the Government caucus. Although no legislation has yet been drafted, the Government is contemplating the exclusion of both European and Maori women from bars, and encouraging them to drink in lounges. Drinking by Maoris and the presence of women in bars has been causing the Government some concern in recent months. Reports on Maori drinking have been called for' by the Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr E. B. Corbett), and at the last Government caucus, the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) asked all members whose electorates contained a fair proportion of Maoris to make a special study of the problem and report to the next caucus. The areas concerned are principally North Auckland, Auckland, the Waikato, Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty, the East Coast, and WanganuiTaranaki. In 1948, the Labour Government introduced legislation to permit Maori women to drink in bars. In any legislation now envisaged by the Government, there will be no discrimination between European and Maori women. A strong body of opinion within the Government favours lounge drinking by women under decent conditions. The view has been expressed in opposition to this proposal that it would mean that women would have to pay higher prices for their drinks than in bars. The consensus within the Government, however, seems to be strongly in favour of removing women entirely from bars.