Mixed reaction to Tapsell’s idea of liquor sales on maraes

Press, 5 December 1988, Page 8

Mixed reaction to Tapsell’s idea of liquor sales on maraes

PA Auckland Moves by the Minister of Police, Mr Tapsell, to legalise bars on maraes have stirred a mixed response from Maori groups. The chairman of the Maori Council, Sir Graham Latimer, said selling liquor over the counter on a marae was tantamount to having a bar in a church. “The sacredness of a marae should remain,” he said. However, the Maori Women’s Welfare League says liquor was best consumed where young people could be controlled — on the marae.

The president, June

Mariu, said although tradition was being lost, having liquor sales on maraes would ensure that people stayed there to drink and did not get into trouble in hotels.

Mr Tapsell said this week-end that licensing laws should be relaxed to allow maraes to apply for licences to sell alcohol in the same way as sports clubs.

Although liquor was permitted on maraes under existing laws for medicinal use or with police approval for functions, it could not be sold there.

If liquor could be sold on maraes young people

would not be tempted to go to hotels and get into trouble. Because of the calming influence of older people they would not drink excessively, Mr Tapsell said.

Profits from the bars — which would open before lunch, dinner and during the evening — would be ploughed back into the marae.

Although he raised the issue at a Turangi marae on Saturday to stimulate discussion rather than take formal steps to see it passed into law, Mr Tapsell said the opportunity was there for anyone to make submissions on the Sale of Liquor Bill, now

before a parliamentary select committee.

Liquor sales would not be appropriate on all maraes, but those which were the focus of community activities would be well suited. Police officers he had spoken to supported the idea.

However, Sir Graham said the issue was thrashed out about 15 years ago and supporters of alcohol sales took a “sound hiding.” Although it was important to encourage young people on to maiaes, traditional values were paramount. “It is back in that place

where we deal with matters with commonsense and reason,” he said.

Large quantities of alcohol could cloud this.

The secretary of the Hotel and Hospital Workers’ Union, Mr Rick Barker, in opposing the idea, said the greater the number of outlets the more problems arose through excess drinking. “The position of our organisation is that liquor is a dangerous and mindbending drug,” he said. And more liquor sold on maraes would mean fewer fulltime jobs for union members at a time when work was already drying up.