A Drinking Population?

Danger Ahead! Can NG Handle A Drinking Population?

By L. G. Usher

My impression of the liquor situation in Papua-New Guinea that neither the hotel operators nor the people of the Territory r e physically or psychologically prepared for what is going to appen when the drinking population is suddenly multiplied ?xt year.

3Y do I think this? Because Papua-New Guinea is passing igh a stage easily recognisable by ne who has lived a long time in Here, briefly, are Fiji’s exnces and how I think they may t New Guinea; ji has had experience of the

permit system, and has learned that the discrimination involved breeds deep resentment and is a disruptive force in the community.

Fiji has had experience of “beer only” and intends, from January 1, 1963, to abandon this restraint for males, who will be able to drink any thing they want. The end has not yet been heard of the decision to con tinue the P ermit system—for non- European women.

Fiji bas experienced the result of suddenly multiplying the drinking population. It is m more obvious drunkenness in towns, more accidents and more crime connected with liquor, a greater number of homes harmed by the wage-earners’ pay go ing in liquor, and the overall increase in liquor consumption, There are added complications when people who have hitherto been denied liquor are given access to it suddenly.

Yet the solution of these problems j s? ver y i arge iy ? a matter of time. Ex cessive paternalism just doesn’t fit in w j t j 1 tbe sp i r it of today, and any pro hibiti f hat is based on racial grounds is a f«aj point for resen,ment and discontent, r. ;;/ A Fl l' s Advantages Fiji has had some important ad vantages over New Guinea in the process of adapting itself to the in crease in drinkers. Before an “open go ” on beer only was allowed, permits b ad been f a i r l y freely granted for years and nea rly all the responsible - hs in hotel and c i u b bars had been fil]ed b non -Europeans.

In New Guinea, the local em ployees in lounges and bars seem to g y . , the c ieaning-up jobs, th / y take orders it is on l y dnu wu . . „ e as carriers of Y > wr |tten order « whu * the y p^L° n a European barmaid or barman Tlus means that when the ba lounge population is suddenly m

creased by many hundreds (which, if Fiji’s experience counts, will quite soon grow to many thousands) of Papuan and New Guinean drinkers, there will be little point of contact or understanding between the custo mer and the man behind the bar.

In Fiji bars, there is no distinction between customers.

All are treated as far as possible on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is almost always someone be hind the bar, or among the lounge waiters, who knows the customer’s language and can take his order correctly and without delay.

Drinkers Resentful?

If the same sort of thing applies in New Guinea as soon as the flood of new drinkers is released, well and good. If, on the other hand, the new drinkers are ignored, or resented, or made to feel uncomfortable and un wanted, resentments which can have far-reaching consequences will be bred. Slights—real or fancied—can seem much more important when a man is drinking.

The hotels of Papua-New Guinea are not prepared for a large increase in the number of drinkers. There is not the room.

If a crowded swill atmosphere de velops, and as far as I can see this is all that is offered the Papuan or New Guinean learning to handle liquor, he will be done a great dis service.

Fiji missed the bus badly when the liquor laws were changed this year, and P-NG can learn from Fiji’s mis take. New Zealand had set the

example of using the high commercial value of a liquor licence as a lever to raise the standard of accom modation in hotels, and the quality of restaurants.

The Government of Fiji lowered the accommodation standard de manded of hotels, and fixed a res taurant licence fee so that it can be paid only by the restaurant operator who presses liquor sales.

It is a major barrier in the way of anyone who wants to operate a small establishment with good food as the prime consideration, and with liquor as a pleasant occasional, but entirely optional, accompaniment.

Although there are exceptions, Papua-New Guinea hotels are already a long way behind international tourist standard. But the greatly ex panded trade—and profits—offered to hotel operators through the great in crease in the number of drinkers can be turned to advantage for the Terri tory if the creation and maintenance of high standards of accommodation are made an essential part of the re quirements for owning a liquor licence.

Fiji’s first trial shipment of 73 tons of bananas to Japan was sold to importers for £2,200 and created wide interest in Japanese fruit market ing circles. Mr. S. Hunter, agri cultural manager of the Fiji Develop ment Company, said this on his return to Fiji from Japan, where he had inspected the bananas on their arrival.