PROGRAMME FOR TEMPERANCE

Te Ao Hou, Winter 1954, Page 42

PROGRAMME FOR TEMPERANCE Government policy on drink was discussed at great length. Generally, the Maori Section was in agreement with existing legislation. Throughout the discussion and in the final resolutions not one person proposed the restoring of the old discriminatory restrictions. There were only two points on which the legislation was challenged. First the section desired to have women (both Maori and pakeha) barred from drinking in hotels. Secondly, objections were made to a provision in the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Amendment Act, 1951, by which tribal committees may give special exemptions from the prohibition of drink on maraes. ‘Every occasion may be made into a special one,’ so ran the complaint. Members still considered the drink situation serious, and were anxious for strict enforcement of existing laws, particularly by the police. Newspaper comment on the conference did not show clearly the conference's attitude to the voluntary Maori bodies that have for some years now devoted much energy to fighting drink abuses in their communities. Most of those present knew the work of these tribal bodies intimately, and the debate indicated that their effectiveness varied widely from place to place, as is only to be expected of voluntary local

initiative. Much time was taken up with discussing the problems of the wardens, who, also voluntarily, face the most painful and delicate situations in their localities when they deal with drunkenness cases. Nobody at the conference expressed any doubt that the local Maori leaders are well able to bear the brunt of this social work; it was however, felt that they needed more support from outside to help change the general attitude towards drink. That support should come, it was suggested, from the churches, from the schools and from all other opinion-forming bodies. It was resolved to send a message to all tribal executives, embodying the Maori section's views. In this message it was clearly stated that the solution to the problem was not seen in the reimposition of restrictions, but rather in ‘a movement from within the race itself by spiritual uplift and personal discipline’. Tribal executives were urged to enforce the regulations where private homes on the papakainga are being used as a source of supply of liquor while any function is taking place on the marae. The movement in some tribal executive areas to secure voluntary prohibition orders against habitual drunkards was noticed with ‘great pleasure’ and described as ‘a great improvement in the home and family life of those concerned’. All districts were urged to take action in this way. The Maori Section also felt there should be as far as possible a relationship of friendly co-operation between tribal executives and the police.