quor Permits for P-NG Natives

Wist Ration Compromise

quor Permits for P-NG Natives Must Wait Three Years

By repealing Section 9 of the Liquor (Native) Bill, the Legislative icil of Papua and New Guinea, on October 24 postponed for at three years, the introduction of the permit system of drinking for es.

[JON 9 of the Liquor Bill lassed earlier this year) would we given the Administrator of power to issue drink-permits icted natives.

Liquor Bill has been the most versial piece of legislation with by the P-NG Council, Ithough the Bill was pushed h in the usual way by the majority, there was such outcry about it, Authority for as persuaded to hold its hand.

Few residents of the Territory are happy about relaxing in any way, the restrictions on drink for natives.

However, the realists know that sections of the natives are already drinking—either stolen liquor, liquor sold to them by unscrupulous mem bers of other communities, or con coctions of spirits that are likely to do great damage to health.

A select committee of Council members was set up some months ago to obtain the views of people

throughout the Territory. The re port of this Committee was read at the recent meeting of the Council.

The report recommended that after three years permits should be issued to selected natives and clubs set up to allow natives to drink under strict supervision. As an in dication of what goes on at present, it is interesting to note that another recommendation of the Committee was that all methylated spirit im ported into the Territory be de natured.

Later, during the debate in the Council, one mission Member, Fr James Dwyer, claimed that if some thing could be added to methylated spirit to turn it into an emetic, 50 per cent, of illegal drinking by natives would be wiped out over night.