Relaxing of law on‘ drinking favoured

Press, 12 May 1982, Page 3

Relaxing of law on‘ drinking favoured

The Labour Party conference yesterday voted to relax legal provisions on cannabis, drinking, and opposed the police use of long batons. Discussing justice remits yesterday morning, the Opposition spokesman on police and member for Yaldhurst, Mr M. A. Connelly, was shouted down when he opposed the withdrawal of long batons from the police, and the disbanding of police riot squads. Mr Connelly said the units had already been disbanded. Some delegates came to Mr Connelly’s defence, saying he had not been given the chance to explain his grounds, and that it was not his fault that the Springbok team toured New Zealand. Another said. Mr Connelly’s opposition to a remit was a guarantee of its being passed.

The conference voted overwhelmingly for not using police riot squads, and the withdrawal of long batons on the ground that such arms were “a step on the way to police armament with lethal weapons.” Delegates voted in favour of a minimum age of 18 for unaccompanied entry into licensed premises, on and off-course betting, voting, and getting married without parental consent. Against the advice of the conference convener, Mr F. D. O’Flynn (Island Bay) delegates asked the next Labour government to legislate against discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. It moderated a remit calling for decriminilisation of cannabis for people over the age of 18, and asked that a Royal Commission be set up to. investigate whether can-

nabis should remain a restricted drug or be made legal. Random breath testing of drivers drew reaction from both ends of the spectrum. Some delegates said it was the first step towards a police State, others that cars should be confiscated and drivers be put oh probation for life. The conference rejected random testing. It wanted the number of traffic and police officers to be increased, and asked the nekt Labour government to assure that computer records of persons arrested and released without charge be destroyed after three months. It also wanted the arrested person to be given a copy of all information laid against him.