POLICY ON LIQUOR

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 11

POLICY ON LIQUOR

Church Urged To Change The prohibition policy on liquor adopted by the Church had not proved successful, and it must learn to face the liquor problem at the people’s own level and not as some higher authority, a representative of the Presbyterian Assembly’s committee on liquor problems, Mr E, Minnery, told a meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery. The type of education with strict prohibition leanings tended to give a sin complex, he said. The aim of the committee was to avoid this by giving a sound education on liquor to young people and to allow them to make their own decisions. It was chiefly concerned with young people, as adults had already formed attitudes on these matters. “And it is surprising at just how young an age people start to drink,” Mr Minnery said. “Some began even at prim-ary-school age.” Films, brochures, tapes, and speakers were all available for education on liquor, and the Government was trying to educate youth in this matter, he said. The committee had attempted to persuade parishes to undertake liquor educational programmes, but without much success. “We meet with the Kiwi benediction—‘She’ll be right’,” he said.