“Anomalies Inevitable”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29973, 7 November 1962, Page 16

“Anomalies Inevitable”

I From Our Parliamentary Reporter I

WELLINGTON, Nov. 6.

Though the police had suggested that the age for drinking oh licensed premises be brought down to 19, and though he was inclined to suggest something like this himself, the Minister of Justice (Mr Hanan) told Parliament tonight that this would be a move far ahead of public opinion.

Mr Hanan was discussing the difficulties and contradictions entailed in constructing laws to curb teenage drinking. Whatever were done, anomalies would be created, he said. “If the decisions we make seem to lack logic, then I suppose it is because we are sensitive to the feeling in this country that there is too much teen-age drinking,” said Mr Hanan.

He had just provided Parliament with an example of an anomaly created by an amendment to the Sale of Liquor Bill proposed by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) to prevent persons under 18 drinking liquor with meals on licensed premises. The original draft of the clause prohibiting the supply of Liquor to persons under 21 exempted a person 6f 18 or over consuming liquor as part of a meal and a minor “accompanied by his spouse or by his parent." The House approved Mr

Nash’s amendment, which, provided that the minor be accompanied “by his spouse (being an adult) or by his parent.” This .addition, said Mr Nash, was needed to ensure that persons under the age of 18 who were married, and had no responsibility to a parent, could not obtain liquor. “It is true that the original clause could give the right to persons over 18, and married, to go to a hotel and have liquor with a meal, and I suppose we all think that is bad,” said Mr Hanan. With the amended clause there might be twin sisters, aged 17, the husband of one being a minor and the husband of the other being over 21, said Mr Hanan. If they went to a hotel for a meal ‘‘the wine waiter has somehow to find out which twin sister has the husband over 21.” Of the difficulties of determining the ages of young persons. Mr Hanan said the police had suggested lowering the drinking age to 19 "Girls of 19 are old enough to have babies,” he said. “Boys of that age are old enough to train for war. And as you come down in age it is rather easier to distinguish between ages. "I do not think Parliament would entertain it,” said Mr Hanna, “but let us not disguise the fact that this country’s laws on under-age drinking are being breached.

“We, in our attempts to satisfy public opinion, are producing amendments to the law to tighten up facets of teenage drinking. But don’t let us ignore the fact that we are creating some illogical anomalies.”